WRITTEN QUESTION P-1885/02 by Eluned Morgan (PSE) to the Commission. State aid to the coal industry.
Date: 2002-06-24
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Germany, State aid, aid for restructuring, coal industry, competition law, control of State aid, energy supply, social policy

14.11.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 277 E/249

Confidentiality may not be waived except with the explicit consent of the complainant. Waiving is
routinely requested when it is necessary for further consideration of the case by the Commission and with
a view to obtaining, in agreement with the Member State in question, a solution that is favourable to the
complainant.

As for state aids which are dealt with in accordance with the procedures laid down in Articles 87-89 of the
EC Treaty, the Commission when requested also observes the principle of the confidentiality of complaints.

(1) OJ C 166, 12.7.2002.

(2002/C 277 E/275)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1815/02

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(25 June 2002)

Subject: Economic integration

Will the Commission give figures for the most recent available year, for the previous five years and for the
previous ten years, relating to the stock of quoted equities held by non-residents in each Member State of
the European Union as a percentage of that Member State’s GDP, and will it also break down that figure
into non-resident holdings of equities held by residents of other EU Member States and by non-EU
residents?

Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(1 August 2002)

The Commission (Eurostat) regrets to inform the Honourable Member that it is not in the position to
provide the requested data.

The most likely source of information would be Financial Accounts by Institutional Sector. However, the
data collection on Financial Accounts data is established in the transmission program in the ESA95
Regulation, Council Regulation (EC) No 2223/96 of 25 June 1996 on the European system of national and
regional accounts in the Community (1), and it does not require the split of the financial instrument ‘shares
and other equity’ in ‘quoted shares’ and other items. Similarly, the split of the non-resident sector into
Union and extra-Union is not foreseen.

(1) OJ L 310, 30.11.1996.

(2002/C 277 E/276)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1885/02

by Eluned Morgan (PSE) to the Commission

(24 June 2002)

Subject: State aid to the coal industry

Is it true that Germany is continuing to give state aid to its coal industry? If so, how much state aid per
tonne does Germany pay its domestic coal industry, and for how long will this be allowed to continue?

How does the Commission intend to ensure a level playing field between Member States as regards the
coal industry?

C 277 E/250

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.11.2002

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(23 July 2002)

Germany is granting State aid to its coal industry. In accordance with Commission Decision No 3632/93/
industry (1), the
ECSC of 28 December 1993 establishing Community rules for State aid to the coal
Commission authorised Germany to grant aid totalling € 4 156 million for 2001. € 2 755 million was
intended to cover current production losses (operating aid and activity reduction aid) and € 1 401 million
for exceptional costs (inherited liabilities).

On the basis of a coal production estimated by Germany at 28,5 million tonnes of coal equivalent for
2001, the average aid for that year was about € 117 per tonne of coal equivalent.

For the period from 1 January 2002 to 23 July 2002, the Commission has authorised aid totalling € 2 073
million, including € 1 398 million for aid to current production.

On 26 July 2001, the Commission adopted a proposal for a Council Regulation on State aid to the coal
industry (2) after the ECSC Treaty expires on 23 July 2002. Under the system proposed, aid will be granted
to the coal
industry for restructuring the sector in acceptable social and regional conditions, and for
maintaining coal production so as to guarantee access to reserves for security of energy supply purposes.
The aid scheme expires on 31 December 2010.

The ‘Energy’ Council held in Luxembourg on 7 June 2002 reached a political agreement on the future
system of aid to the coal industry.

The State aid rules which will be applied after the expiry of the ECSC Treaty provide for measures designed
to guarantee fair competition between Member States in the coal industry. Accordingly, the amount of aid
per tonne of coal equivalent must never be more than the difference between production cost and revenue.
Also, the amount of aid must not be allowed to lead to delivered prices for EC coal lower than those
applied for similar quality coal from third countries.

(1) OJ L 329, 30.12.1993.
(2) OJ C 304 E, 30.10.2001.

(2002/C 277 E/277)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1895/02

by Marjo Matikainen-Kallström (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(1 July 2002)

Subject: Wind power and defence security

According to a Reuters report on 26 May 2002, the UK defence ministry halted a project for a planned
wind farm in Britain because wind farms have been shown to damage air force radar activities. A similar
claim was made earlier in Norway, inter alia. At the same time the Commission is arguing forcefully in
favour of renewable energy sources, including wind power.

In the tense world situation following the events of 11 September, even greater stress is placed on the
importance of security aspects. What measures does the Commission propose to take in order to take
better account of security policy aspects when considering energy issues amongst others?