NoL100/12 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 19.4.83
COMMISSION DECISION
of7April1983
approvingaidsfromtheKingdomofBelgiumtothecoal-miningindustry
during1982
(OnlytheDutchandFrenchtextsareauthentic)
(83/159/ECSC)
THECOMMISSION OFTHEEUROPEAN
COMMUNITIES ,
HavingregardtoCommissionDecision528/76/ECSC
of25February1976regardingtheCommunitysystem
ofmeasurestakenbytheMemberStatestoassistthe
coal-miningindustry('),
HavingconsultedtheCouncil,neryproperly;whereastheaidthereforecomplies
withArticle8oftheDecision;
WhereastheaidtotallingBfrs4199300000tocover
operatinglossesispaidtothetwoBelgiancoalfields
fordifferentreasons;whereastheaidpaidtothe
Campinecoalfieldwillalmostmakeupthedifference
betweencostsandreturns;whereasthisalmost
completecoveringofthedifferencebetweencostsand
returnsisnecessarybecausethecoalfieldisintended
tosupplytheBelgiansteelindustrywithcokingcoal
andmustthereforemaintainitsoutput;
Whereasthepurposeandamountofaidgrantedto
coverlossesinrespectoftheCampinecoalfieldthere­
forecomplywiththesecondsubparagraph ofArticle
12(1)andArticle12(3)oftheDecision;
Whereas,ontheotherhand,theSoutherncoalfield
shouldbegrantedaidinrespectofpitoperatinglosses
tocoverpartofthedifferencebetweencostsand
returns;whereastheintentionistoensurethatonly
essentialsaremaintainedandthepitsremainviable
untilthecoalfieldcanbecloseddownwithoutfriction,
sothatseriouseconomicandsocialupheavalis
avoided;
Whereasthepurposeandtypeoftheaidstocoverpit
operatinglossesoftheSoutherncoalfieldaretherefore
compatiblewiththefirstsubparagraphofArticle12(1)
andArticle12(2)oftheDecision;I
WhereastheBelgianGovernmenthasinformedthe
Commission ,pursuanttoArticle2oftheaboveDeci­
sion,ofthefinancialmeasureswhichitintendstotake
during1982inordertogivedirectorindirectsupport
tothecoal-miningindustry;whereas,ofthese
measures,thefollowingaidsqualifyforapproval
pursuanttothatDecision:
(millionBfrs)
—Investmentaid: 510,0
—Recruitment ofskilledworkers:20,0
—Aidtocoverlosses: 4199,3
Whereastheseaidsmeetthecriterialaiddowninthe
DecisionfortheadmissibilityofsuchStateassistance;
Whereas,oftheinvestmentaid,asumofBfrs
510000000willgototheCampinecoalfieldsothat
thecoalfieldcanmaintaintheproductionofcoking
coal,whichisimportantfortheBelgiansteelindustry;
WhereastheBelgianinvestmentaidistherefore
compatiblewiththeprovisionsofArticle7(2)ofthe
Decision ;
Whereastheaid(Bfrs20000000)forrecruitingand
trainingskilledworkershasprovednecessaryinorder
toattractsuitablyqualifiedlabourintoBelgiancoal­
miningcapableofoperatingmodernplantandmachiII
Whereas,pursuanttoArticle3(2)oftheDecision,all
othermeasurestoassistcurrentproductionin1982
mustbetakenintoconsideration foranexamination
ofthecompatibility oftheproposedaidswiththe
properfunctioningofthecommonmarket;
Whereas,onthisbasisofassessment,thetotalamount
ofaidproposedis199400000ECU,i.e.31,68ECU
pertonne;whereasthisfigurecomparedwith1981
(281600000ECU)showsthatthereisareductionof
nearly30%;(')OJNoL63,11.3.1976,p.1.

19.4.83 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoL100/13
Whereasthefollowingobservationscanbemadeon
thecompatibilityoftheproposedcurrentproduction
aidswiththeproperfunctioningofthecommon
market:
—therewerenosupplydifficultiesin1982,
—rationalization ofproductionin1982wasachieved
byinvestment,
—industrialconsumersofcoaldidnotreceiveaidin
1982asaresultofthepricesofBelgiancoking
coalandsteamcoal;
Whereasitmaybeconcludedthattheaidgrantedto
theBelgiancoal-miningindustryin1982iscompat­
iblewiththeproperfunctioningofthecommon
market;
Whereasthisappliesevenwhenaccountistakenof
aidstothecoalminesunderDecision73/287/ECSC;
III
Whereas,pursuanttoArticle14(1)oftheDecision,
theCommissionmustensurethatanyaiditapproves
isusedexclusivelyforthepurposessetoutinArticles
7to12thereof;whereastheCommissionmustthere­
forebeinformedinparticularoftheamountsofthe
paymentsandthemannerinwhichtheyareappor­
tioned,TheamountofBfrs4729300000providedinrespect
ofthecalendaryear1982isdividedasfollows:
1.GrantofinvestmentaidofBfrs510000000;
2.Grantofaidforrecruitingandtrainingskilled
workersnotexceedingBfrs20000000;
3.GrantofaidtocoverlossesofBfrs4199300000
apportionedbetweenthetwocoalfieldsasfollows:
—totheCampinecoalfield,anamountnot
exceedingBfrs3624100000,
—totheSoutherncoalfield,anamountnot
exceedingBfrs575200000.
Article2
TheGovernmentoftheKingdomofBelgiumshall
notifytheCommissionby30April1983ofdetailsof
theaidsgrantedpursuanttothisDecision,andin
particularoftheamountofthepaymentsmadeand
themannerinwhichtheyareapportioned .
Article3
ThisDecisionisaddressedtotheKingdomof
Belgium.
DoneatBrussels,7April1983.HASADOPTEDTHISDECISION :
Article1
TheKingdomofBelgiumisherebyauthorizedin
respectofthe1982calendaryeartograntaidtotalling
Bfrs4729300000totheBelgiancoal-mining
industry.FortheCommission
ÉtienneDAVIGNON
Vice-President