ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES 
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COM (83) 778 
 
 
 
Vol. 1983/0 271 
  
 
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 openi ng to the public of the historical archives of the European Econom ic 
Community and the European Atomic 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), this f ile 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. 
Februar 198 3 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 vom 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(83) 778 final
Brussels, 22 December 1983
FO R  OFFICIAL U S E  ONLY
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL
Request for Council assent under Article 54, second paragraph, 
of the ECSC Treaty to the granting of a global loan to the 
Westdeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale (WestLB)
COM(83) 778 final

Note to the Council
Subjects Request for Council assent under Article 54» second paragraph,  
of the ECSC Treaty to the granting of a global loan to the  
Westdeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale (WestLB).
I Company ·
Applicant; Westdeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale (WestLB).
The WestLB is a credit institution incorporated under  
public law. Its shareholders include:
Land of Worthrhine-Westohalia (43.2$)
Rheinischer Sparkassen-und Giroverband and  
Westfalisch-lippischer Sparkassen-und
Giorverband (each 16.7$)
also Landschaftsverband Rheinland
and Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe (each 11.7$)
The WestLB is constitutedas a State and Local Authority Bank and also  
as a Central Savings Bank. It is in addition an all-purpose bank.
Recipients: Businesses implementing investment projects to promote the  
consumption of Community coal.

-  2 -
II Procedure
The Commission will grant the WestLB a global loan of DM 50.0 million.  
It will be disbursed over a maximum period of 3 years in a number of  
instalments to be determined by the Directorate-General for Credit  
and Investments in the light of the characteristics of the borrowing  
resources utilized.
Under the terms of this global loan, the WestLB will co-finance  
investment which helps to promote the use of Community coal.
The WestLB will submit annual reports to the Commission on the status  
of the projects financed and on whether the final bénéficiaires are  
meeting their commitments with respect to the use of Community coal.
Ill Compliance with Article 54, second paragraph, of the BCSC Treaty
The Member States Of the European Communities have set themselves  
the goal of reducing their dependence on oil imports. This change  
in energy utilization patterns requires greater and more varied use  
of coal as has been stressed, particularly, in the communiques issued  
after the European Council meeting of 27 and 28 April 1980 in  
Luxembourg and the Venice Summit of 22 and 23 June I98 O.
The importance of coal in helping to restructure energy demand was  
also underlined by the ECSC Consultative Committee and the European  
Parliament in their opinions on the communication from the Commission  
to the Council on the role of coal in the Community's energy strategy.  
The prime sectors mentioned for reconversion to coal included various  
industrial sectors and district heating systems.
The global loan to the WestLB will facilitate the implementation of  
investments which are in line with the broad aims of Community energy 
policy and at the same time open up new outlets for Community coal.
The Commission has therefore concluded that the application is  
consonant with Article 54, second paragraph, of the ECSC Treaty.

- 3 -
IV Global loan
Loan requested:  DM.50.0 million
Loan granted;  The Commission has approved, in principle, a loan
of DM 50.0 million (approximately 22.1 million ECU)  
or its equivalent to the above-mentioned company on  
the basis that this project is consonant with the  
aims set out in Article 54» second paragraph, of the  
ECSC Treaty.
Observations :  The loan being applied for will be the first global
loan to be granted to WestLB under Article 54»
second paragraph. The WestLB has already been
granted a global loan of DM 20 million under Article 56
of the ECSC Treaty by decision of the Commission dated
12 April I983  and agreement of the Council on 14 June 1983«
V Council assent
Pursuant to Article 54» second paragraph, of the ECSC Treaty the  
Commission seeks the assent of the Council to the granting of a global  
loan of DM 50*0 million to the Westdeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale (WestLB),  
Düsseldorf, Munster.