NoL46/20 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 21.2.76
COMMISSION DECISION
of17December1975
approvingaidstobegrantedbytheUnitedKingdomforthebenefitofundertakings
inthecoalindustryinrespectofthefinancialyear1975/76
(OnlytheEnglishtextisauthentic)
(76/215/ECSC)
THECOMMISSION OFTHEEUROPEAN
COMMUNITIES ,
HavingregardtotheTreatyestablishingthe
EuropeanCoalandSteelCommunity ,andin
particularArticles2,3,4and5thereof,
HavingregardtoCommissionDecision3/71/ECSC
of22December1970onCommunityrulesfor
interventionsbyMemberStatesforthebenefitofthe
coalindustry(*),
HavingregardtoDecision73/287/ECSCof25July
1973oncokingcoalandcoke(2),andinparticular
Article9(1)thereof,
HavingconsultedtheCouncil,
WhereastheBritishGovernment hasinformedthe
Commission ,pursuanttoArticle2ofDecision
3/71/ECSC,ofthefinancialmeasureswhichit
proposestoimplementdirectlyorindirectlyforthe
benefitofthecoalindustryduringthe1975/76coal
marketingyear(3);whereasofthesemeasuresthe
followingaidsshouldbeauthorizedpursuanttothe
aforementioned Decision;
WhereastheBritishGovernmentproposestograntto
theBritishcoalindustrythefollowingaidsforthe
1975/76coalmarketingyear:Tocoverexpenditureonthesupplyof
concessionary coaltoredundantminersaged
from55to65years 0-8
Fortheretrainingandretentionofstaff 3-7
Whereastheaforementioned aidsareinaccordance
withthecriterialaiddowninArticles6and7of
Decision3/71/ECSCfortheadmissionofsuchState
assistance;
Whereasaidtowardsthecoveringofexpenditureon
pensionsisgrantedtoretiredminers;whereasthe
expenditureonpensionsincurredbytheNCBisno
longerrelatedtotheproductionofcoalandis
coveredinpartbytheaid;
Whereasthepurposeandformoftheaidshowthat
themeasureisinaccordancewiththecriteriasetout
inArticle6(1)(1);
Whereasaidtowardsseverancepaymentsforminers
abouttobemaderedundantand/orforthe
vocationalretrainingofstaffwasintroducedbvthe
CoalIndustryAct1965;whereastheCoalIndustry
Act1973continuestheaidandmakesprovisionfor
paymentofamaximumof£60millionforthe
financialyears1973/74to1975/76;whereasfor
1975/76provisionhasbeenmadeforasumof£6-5
million;
Whereassuchaidisgrantedinrespectofminers
leavingminingasaresultoftheclosureofpits,and
alsoofthosebeingretrainedand/orre-employedin
coalmining;
Whereasthepurposeandformoftheaidshowthat
themeasureisinaccordancewiththecriteriasetout
inArticles6(1)(1)and7(3)ofDecision3/71/ECSC;
WhereasaidtowardsthecoveringoftheNCB's
expenditureresultingfromtheearlyretirementof
staffwasintroducedbytheCoalIndustryAct1967;
whereasfor1975/76provisionhasbeenmadefora
sumof£1-5million;£million
Tocoverexpenditureonpensions 13-7
Forseverancepaymentstominersaboutto
bemaderedundantand/orforthevocational
retrainingofstaff • 6-5
TocovertheNCB'sexpenditureresulting
fromtheearlyretirementofstaff 1-5
(^OJNoL3,5.1.1971,p.7.
(2)OJNoL259,15.9.1973,p.36.
(3)The1975/76coalmarketingyearrunsfromthe
beginningofApril1975totheendofMarch1976.

21.2.76 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoL46/21
Whereassuchaidisgrantedtominersretired
prematurely ;whereassuchretirementwasnecessary
onaccountofthedropinproduction (asaresultof
marketingdifficulties )in1967to1970;whereasthe
expenditureonpensionsincurredbytheNCBisno
longerrelatedtotheproductionofcoalandis
coveredinfullbytheaid;
Whereasthepurposeandformoftheaidshowthat
themeasureisinaccordancewiththecriteriasetout
inArticle6(1)(1)ofDecision3/71/ECSC;—noadverseeffectontradeincoalbetweenthe
UnitedKingdomandtheotherMemberStatesis
expectedin1975(Article3(1)(1)ofDecision
3/71/ECSC);
—noalignmentofpriceswiththoseofother
Communityproducersisexpectedinrespectof
Britishcoalin1975;
—althoughthepricesforBritishcoalhavebeen
considerably increased,theyhavenotyet
reachedtheleveloftheequivalentpricesfor
heatingoilorcokingcoalimportedfromthe
UnitedStates.Thisstateofaffairsdoesnot
howeverleadtoindirectaidstoindustrial
consumersastheBritishcoalindustryisreceiving
noaidstocoveroperatinglossesinthecoal
marketingyear1975/76,inaccordancewith
Article9ofDecision3/71/ECSC;
—theclosureoftwoorthreeunprofitablepitswill
leadtorationalization andtheconcentration of
productioninpitswhereproductivityishighest;
WhereasitcanthereforebesaidthattheBritishaids
forthebenefitofthecoalindustryin1975/76are
compatiblewiththeproperfunctioningofthe
commonmarket;WhereastheaidtowardsthecoveringoftheNCB's
expenditureonthesupplyofconcessionary coalis
grantedinrespectofexpenditurewhichisnolonger
relatedtotheproductionofcoal;whereastheNCB's
expenditureonthesupplyofconcessionary coalto
redundantminersbetweentheagesof55and60is
fullyreimbursedbytheBritishGovernment ;whereas
forminersmaderedundantbetweentheagesof60
and65,theaidistocover50%oftheexpenditure
onthesupplyofconcessionary coal;whereasthe
amountofaidprovidedfor1975/76is£800000;
Whereasthepurposeandformoftheaidshowthat
themeasureisinaccordancewiththecriteriasetout
inArticle6(1)(1)ofDecision3/71/ECSC;
Whereastheaidtowardstheretrainingand
retentionofstaffisasupplementtobepaidbythe
BritishGovernmenttohelptocovertheexpenditure
whichtheNCBwillhavetospendin1975/76forthe
regroupingofstaffwhichwillberequiredaspartof
therationalization programme ;whereas,inorderto
ensurethatqualifiedworkersareretained,thecosts
fallingontheminersaffectedbytheregroupment
schemesmustbereimbursedtothembytheNCB;
whereassuchcostsincluderemovalcosts,
resettlementcosts,travelexpensesandcompensation
foratemporarylossofincome;Whereasthisalsoappliesifaccountistakenofaids
grantedtothecoalindustryunderDecision
73/287/ECSC;
Whereas,pursuanttoArticle11(1)ofDecision
3/71/ECSC,theCommissionmustensurethatthe
aidsauthorizedareusedforthepurposessetoutin
Articles6and7ofthatDecision;whereasthe
Commissionmustbeinformedinparticularofthe
amountoftheseaidsandthemannerinwhichthey
areapportioned ,
WhereastheBritishGovernment istocontribute
£3-7milliontowardssuchcoststobebornebythe
NCBinrespectof197^/76;
HASADOPTED THISDECISION :
Whereasthepurposeandformoftheaidshowthat
themeasureisinaccordancewiththecriteriasetout
inArticle7(3)ofDecision3/71/ECSC;Article1
Whereasthefollowingremarksmustbemadein
respectofthecompatibilityofthetotalamountof
Britishaidswiththeproperfunctioningofthe
commonmarket:TheGovernmentoftheUnitedKingdomishereby
authorizedtograntaidstotalling£26200000for
thebenefitoftheBritishcoalindustryinthecoal
marketingyear1975/76,dividedasfollows:

NoL46/22 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 21.2.76
Article2
TheBritishGovernmentshallnotifytheCommission
by30April1976ofthedetailsoftheaidsgranted
pursuanttothisDecision,andinparticularasregards
theamountspaidandthemannerinwhichtheyare
apportioned .
Article31.assumptionofresponsibility forexpenditureon
pensionsforretiredminers(£13-7million);
2.severancepaymentstominerstobemade
redundantasaresultoftheclosureofpitsand/or
forminerstoberetrainedorre-employeduptoa
maximumof£6-5million;
3.reimbursement oftheNCB'sexpenditureresulting
fromtheearlyretirementofminers(£1-5
million);
4.assumptionofresponsibility forthecostsof
supplyingconcessionary coaltoredundantminers
agedbetween55and60years,uptoamaximum
of£800000;
5.supplementtocovertheNCB'sexpenditureonthe
regroupingofstaffwhichwillberequiredaspart
oftherationalization programme,uptoa
maximumof£3-7million.TheDecisionisaddressedtotheUnitedKingdom.
DoneatBrussels,17December1975.
FortheCommission
HenriSIMONET
Vice-President