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COM (84) 745 
 
 
 
Vol. 1984/0266 
  
 
Disclaimer  
Conformém ent au règlement (CEE, Euratom) n° 354/83 du Conseil du 1er février 1983 
concernant l'ouverture au public des archives historiques de la Communauté économique 
européenne et de la Communauté européenne de l'énergie atomique (JO L 43 du 15.2.1983, 
p. 1), tel que modifié par le règlement (CE, Euratom) n° 1700/2003 du 22 septembre 2003 
(JO L 243 du 27.9.2003, p. 1), ce dossier est ouvert au public. Le cas échéant, les documents 
classifiés présents dans ce dossier ont été déclassifiés conformément à l'article 5 dudit 
règlem ent. 
In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983 
concerning the opening to the public of the historical archives of the European Econom ic 
Communit y and the European Atom ic Energy Communit y (OJ L 43, 15.2.1983, p. 1), as 
amended by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1700/2003 of 22 September 2003 (OJ L 243, 
27.9.2003, p. 1), t his file is open to the public. Where necessary, classified documents in this 
file have been declassified in conformity with Article 5 of the aforementioned regulation.  
In Übereinstimmung mit der Verordnung (EWG, Euratom) Nr. 354/83 des Rates vom  1. 
Februa r 1983 über die Freigabe der historischen Archive der Europäischen  
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft und der Europäischen Atomgem einschaft (ABI. L 43 vom  15.2.1983,  
S. 1), geändert durch die Verordnung (EG, Euratom) Nr. 1700/2003 vom 22. Septem ber 2003  
(ABI. L 243 v om 27.9.2003, S. 1), ist diese Datei der Öffentlichkeit zugänglich. Soweit  
erforderlich, wurden die Verschlusssachen in dieser Datei in Übereinstimmung mit Artikel 5  
der genannten Verordnung freigegeben.  
COMMISSION  
OF THE
EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
General SecretariatCOM(84) 745 final 
Brussels, 20 December 1984 
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
COMMUNICATION BY THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL
Request for the assent of the Council under Article 54, second 
paragraph, of the ECSC Treaty to the partial financing of the 
conversion from oil to coal firing in four plants belonging 
to Imperial Chemicals Industries Plc.
COM(84) 745 final

Note to the Council
Subject: Request for the assent of the Council under Article 54, second
paragraph, of the ECSC Treaty to the partial financing of the 
conversion from oil to coal firing in four plants belonging 
to Imperial Chemicals Industries Pic.
Amount of the loan:  £13.00 m (approximately 22.2 m ECU)
Borrower:  ICI Finance Pic on behalf of Imperial Chemical
Industries Pic
Description of the project
A large number of the plants operated by Imperial Chemical Industries Pic (ICI) 
in the UK use oil firing for their power requirements.  ICI are studying 
the possibility of converting its various locations to coal firing using 
Community coal to reduce its dependence on oil for its energy requirements.
The following four sites have been identified for conversion to coal firing 
and are the subject of this loan application. ·  '  ·
Lostock (Cheshire)
Winnington (Cheshire)
Dumfries (Dumfries and Galloway) 
Stevenston (Strathclyde)Total cost (£m)
8.40 
9.76
4.40 
3.56
£26.12ECSC loan
4.20 
4.88
2.20 
1.76
£13.00

-  2 -
These costs are further analysed by type of expenditure.
£m
Boilers and ancillary works 
Coal/ash handling plant11.53
4.60
Other services 7.31
Contingencies and inflation 2.68
£26.12
N.B. These costs are based on original quotations and the inflation factor  
has been shown separately
Coal consumption
As a result of these investments ICI expects to consume the following amounts  
of coal.
Lostock 103,800
Winnington 134,500
Dumfries 49,600
Stevenston 73,100
Long-term contracts are being negotiated with EEC coal producers and the  
company will be buying 100% Community coal. ,  .
Assessment
The Member States of the European Community have set themselves the objective  
of reducing their dependence on oil imports. The European Council of  
27 and 28 April 1980 in Luxembourg and the Western Economic Summit -of  
22 and 23 June 1980 in Vencie put out very precise statements on this subject *  
and expressly recommended a return to coal.
In a communication transmitted to the Council on 11 May 1981 the Commission  
examined the scope for replacing oil by coal in "other industry" (i.e. all  
branches of industry except the energy sector, the steel industry and  
small industry and crafts) and went into the problems involved.
The Commission considers that conversion to coal in "other industry"
should be encouraged by additional measures at national and Community levels.
The project to be co-financed is in line with the general energy policy  
of the Community. At the same time one of its direct results will be to  
provide an additional market for ECSC coal.361,000 tonnes

- 3 -
The proposed investment programme is therefore also in line with the 
provisions of Article 54, second paragraph, of the ECSC Treaty.
This project falls within the scope of the decision of the Commission to grant 
loans at a reduced rate of interest for investments aimed at promoting 
the consumption of Community coal (O.J. No C 343 of 31 December 1982). It is 
therefore proposed that the loan be granted with an interest rebate.