NoL100/16 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 19.4.83
COMMISSION DECISION
of7April1983
approvingaidsfromtheUnitedKingdomforthecoal-miningindustryduring
die1982/83financialyear
(OnlytheEnglishtextisauthentic)
(83/161/ECSC)
THECOMMISSION OFTHEEUROPEAN
COMMUNITIES ,
HavingregardtoCommissionDecision528/76/ECSC
of25February1976regardingtheCommunitysystem
ofmeasurestakenbytheMemberStatestoassistthe
coal-miningindustry('),
HavingconsultedtheCouncil,whereasthepurposeandformoftheaidshowthatit
meetsthecriteriasetoutinArticle8oftheDecision;
Whereasthe£12900000aidtocoverthecostsof
stocksofcoalandcokeisbasedontotalproducers'
stocksandadditionalstockheldbyconsumers
financeddirectlyorindirectlybytheproducers,
amountingtomorethan30milliontonnes;whereas,
withmonthlyproductionofaround10milliontonnes,
stockseligibleforaidunderArticle9(2)oftheDeci­
sionamountto20milliontonnes;whereasthe
amountofaidpertonneisaccordingly£0,6;whereas
theactualcostofstocks(includingdepreciationand
interest)issubstantiallyhigherthantheamountof
aid;
Whereasthepurposeandformoftheaidshowthatit
meetsthecriteriasetoutinArticle9oftheDecision;
Whereasthe£3800000aidforpower-station coalis
intendedtocoverthecostsofdeliveriesofpower­
stationcoaltoScotland;whereasfromtheinformation
providedbytheUnitedKingdomGovernment ,the
amountandpurposesoftheaidgrantedcanbe
regardedasbeingcompatiblewithArticle11ofthe
Decision;
Whereastheaidgiventocoverlossesonmining
(£374300000)willalmostcompletelycoverthelosses
sustainedbyNCBpitsin1982/83;whereastheaidis
giventoavoidseriouseconomicandsocialproblems
inthosecoalfieldswheretherearenotyetadequate
re-employment opportunitiesandtomaintainexisting
productioncapacitiessoastosafeguardenergy
supplies;whereastheaidisthereforecompatiblewith
Article12oftheDecision.I
WhereastheUnitedKingdomGovernment has
informedtheCommission ,pursuanttoArticle2ofthe
aboveDecision,ofthefinancialmeasureswhichit
intendstoimplementdirectlyorindirectlyforthe
benefitofthecoalindustryduringthe1982/83finan­
cialyear(2);whereasthefollowingofthesemeasures
maybeapprovedpursuanttotheDecision:
(million£)
—aidfortherecruitmentandretention
ofskilledworkers: 11,3
—aidforstocks: 12,9
—aidforpower-stationcoal: 3,8
—aidtocoverlossesonmining:374,3
Whereastheseaidsmeetthecriterialaiddowninthe
DecisionfortheadmissibilityofsuchStateassistance;
Whereastheaidforattractingandkeepingskilled
workersisintendedtooffsetinparttheNationalCoal
Board'scostsarisingfromrationalization andthe
transferofproductiontotheirbestpits;whereasthis
resultsinoutgoingsonremovals,transport,etc.;
WhereastheUnitedKingdomGovernment isto
contribute£11300000towardssuchcostsborneby
theNCBin1982/83;II
Whereas,underArticle3(2)oftheDecision,an
examinationofthecompatibility oftheabovemen­
tionedaidswiththeproperfunctioningofthe
commonmarketmustalsoextendtoallotherfinan­
cialmeasurestosupportcurrentproductioninthe
1982/83financialyear;(')OJNoL63,11.3.1976,p.1.
(2)The1982/83financialyearrunsfromthebeginningof
April1982totheendofMarch1983.

19.4.83 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoL100/17
HASADOPTEDTHISDECISION :
Article1
TheUnitedKingdomisherebyauthorizedinrespect
ofthe1982/83financialyeartograntaidstotalling
£402300000totheBritishcoal-miningindustry.
Thesaidaidsaremadeupasfollows:
1.GranttocoverthecostsincurredbytheNational
CoalBoardinrespectofrelocationofpersonnel
undertheproductionrationalization programme,
notexceeding£11300000;
2.Aidtowardsstockingcostsinrespectofcoaland
cokenotexceeding£12900000;
3.Aidfordeliveriesofpower-station coaltoScotland
notexceeding£3800000;
4.Aidtocoverlossesonminingnotexceeding
£374300000.
Article2
TheUnitedKingdomshallnotifytheCommissionby
30April1983ofdetailsoftheaidsgrantedpursuantto
thisDecision,andinparticularoftheamountspaid
andthemannerinwhichtheyareapportioned .
Article3
ThisDecisionisaddressedtotheUnitedKingdom.
DoneatBrussels,7April1983.WhereasaidsforcurrentproductionintheUnited
Kingdomwillamountto718,4millionECUor5,76
ECUpertonneforthe1982/83financialyear;
whereastheBritishcoalindustrythereforereceivesthe
lowestsubsidyofallcoal-producing MemberStates;
Whereasanexaminationofthecompatibilityofthese
aidswiththeproperfunctioningofthecommon
marketrequiresnodetailedinformationorinvestiga­
tions:
—therewerenosupplydifficultiesontheBritish
marketin1982/83,
—BritishcoalexportstootherCommunitycountries
fellin1982/83comparedwith1981/82,
—theclosureofsomeunprofitablepitsresultedin
rationalization andconcentration ofproductionon
pitswhereproductivityishighest,
—industrialconsumersofcoaldidnotreceivein­
directaidsin1982/83asaresultofthepricesof
Britishcokingcoalandsteamcoal;
Whereasitcanthereforebestatedthattheaidsforthe
Britishcoalindustryforcurrentproductioninthe
1982/83financialyeararecompatiblewiththeproper
functioningofthecommonmarket;
Whereasthisalsoapplieswhenaccountistakenof
aidstothecoalindustrypursuanttoDecision73/287/
ECSC;
III
Whereas,pursuanttoArticle14(1)oftheDecision,
theCommission mustascertainthataidsauthorized
areusedexclusivelyforthepurposessetoutinArticles
7to12thereof;whereastheCommissionmustbe
informedinparticularoftheamountoftheseaidsand
themannerinwhichtheyareapportioned ;FortheCommission
ÉtienneDAVIGNON
Vice-President