Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘The Perspectives of European Coal and Steel Research’
Date: 2005-07-13
Institutions: European Economic and Social Committee
Subjects: EU research policy, coal, fund (EU), industrial research, iron and steel industry, reduction of gas emissions, research expenditure (EU), research programme, steel

25.11.2005

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Official Journal of the European Union

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Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘The Perspectives of European Coal
and Steel Research’

(2005/C 294/03)

On 1 July 2004 the European Economic and Social Committee, acting under Rule 29(2) of its Rules of
Procedure, decided to draw up an opinion on ‘The Perspectives of European Coal and Steel Research’.

The Consultative Commission on Industrial Change, which was responsible for preparing the Committee's
work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 13 June 2005. The rapporteur was Mr Lagerholm and the co-
rapporteur was Mr Gibellieri.

At its 419th plenary session, held on 13 and 14 July 2005 (meeting of 13 July 2005), the European
Economic and Social Committee adopted the following opinion by 57 votes to none with 3 abstentions.

1. Introduction

1.1 Prospects opened up by the Research Fund for Coal and Steel

1.1.1
ECSC collaborative research ended with the expiry of
the ECSC Treaty on 23 July 2002. However, the surplus capital
contributed by the steel and coal industries during the Treaty's
period of operation now makes it possible to perpetuate this
type of collective research. Indeed, the decision to transfer this
capital to the Communities and devote it to research was taken
in the Treaty of Nice. The capital amounts to EUR 1.6 billion
(estimated value of the capital known at the time when the
ECSC bonds were released). The Research Fund for Coal and
Steel (RFCS) was created in February 2003. The legal basis was
laid down in the annex to the Treaty of Nice relating to the
expiry of the ECSC and by the Council decisions of 1 February
2003 (2003/76/EC, 2003/77/EC, 2003/78/EC) published in the
Official Journal of 5 February 2003.

1.1.2
tions for the operation of the programme.

Technical and financial guidelines lay down the condi-

1.1.3
After three years of operation of the new system, the
aim of this document is to point out certain differences which
have emerged in the operation of the Fund and, above all, to
attempt to identify future prospects.

1.1.4
First and foremost, apart from a few points to which
we will return later, the spirit of ECSC collaborative research
has been maintained, not least because of the proven high level
of efficiency of ECSC research funding and this is a matter for
satisfaction.

1.2 Financial aspects: a temporary and noticeable reduction in grants

41.20 million for 2005) for steel research. This financial aid
applies to about 50 projects per year. As far as the coal aspect
is concerned, the level of funding allocated by the RFCS budget
over the three last years has been of the order of EUR 16.13
million in 2003, 15.27 million in 2004 and 16.13 million for
2005.

1.2.2
A significant reduction in the total amount of subsi-
dies should be noted, since they represented about EUR 55 to
56 million for steel and EUR 28 to 31 million for coal at the
end of the 1990s and into the beginning of the present decade.
It should also be noted that the average subsidy available per
participant will be further reduced significantly in the next few
years, in view of enlargement and the resulting increase in the
number of participants in the programme.
Indeed, the new
Member States will make their contribution as before, but
gradually and only between 2006 and 2009. Their contribu-
tions to the capital will be made in successive instalments
(making a total of EUR 169 million) but the full effects will
not be felt until 2011.

industry,

the steel

The cost-effectiveness of ECSC steel

1.2.3
research has
already been established (return of 13 units for each unit
invested). Considerable effectiveness has been displayed in
carrying out industrial research centred on the essential needs
of
in partnership with those directly
concerned, i.e. industrialists and, where necessary, other part-
ners such as component manufacturers or the main customers.
There is still an essential need for this type of research today,
so as to maintain the competitiveness of the European steel
industry at its present level, i.e. among the best in the world.
The pilot and demonstration projects which constituted the
originality of the ECSC programmes have diminished signifi-
cantly over the last few years; they must remain the instrument
of choice and the preferred vehicle for rapid transfer of techno-
logical developments to the operational units (factories).

The RFCS is managed by the Coal and Steel Unit of
1.2.1
DG Research. In budgetary terms, it is the interest on the afore-
mentioned capital,
resulting from a long-term placement,
which is used to finance the research. The available annual
budget therefore depends on the income from investment. An
allocation key determines the steel and coal proportions, which
are 72.8 % and 27.2 % respectively. In practice, over the last
two operating years, this has meant a budget of about EUR 43
million (43.68 million in 2003; 43.68 million in 2004 and

1.2.4
ECSC-funded European coal research has been highly
efficient. Evaluation (1) shows average benefit factors ranging
from 7 to 25. Moreover, RTD often results in substantial spin-
off benefits for other industries for example,
in surveying,
tunnelling, and material testing methods.

(1) Performed in 1995 by Geoffrey Walton Practice and Smith Vincent

and in 1996 by the Coal Research Committee of DG XVII

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1.3 Monitoring and management of the programmes

2. Steel

1.3.1 Major changes have taken place as regards the process
of selection of annual projects for approval. On the one hand,
the Commission is assisted by a coal and steel committee
(COSCO) in which representatives of the Member States take
part as well as by Steel Advisory Groups (SAGs) and Coal Advi-
sory Groups (CAGs) with representatives of industry and other
relevant stakeholders. On the other hand, the assessments are
made by independent experts. In material terms, the Commis-
sion has ensured that these assessments are carried out properly
since the system was set up, under conditions which are
improved each year.

1.3.2
The quality of the projects selected and hence of the
RFCS programme, depends on the quality of the assessments.
Since it is industrial research programmes which are being eval-
uated, it is essential that this be done by experts with specia-
industrial needs and priorities, of past
lised knowledge of
research and its results and of
the partners
the skills of
involved. The experts of the technical groups, for example,
meet
the Commission and the steel
industry groups still need to optimise the practical conditions
for these experts' participation.

these conditions but

reduction in the number of

1.3.3
For steel, nine technical groups henceforth replace the
previous 17 executive committees as regards the monitoring of
projects and the transfer of technological information, with a
substantial
the participating
experts. This development will be partly compensated by the
increased involvement of experts from the 10 new Member
States. The tutelage system set up (allocation of the monitoring
of one project or a limited number of projects to one expert)
seems effective in ensuring more direct monitoring of projects;
it makes it easier to discuss the monitoring and makes it more
rigorous. A mid-term assessment of the new RFCS projects will
be carried out in spring 2005 and will provide more informa-
tion in this respect.

Regarding coal,

1.3.4
three technical groups (TGs) have
begun to replace the five Executive Committees operating
under the ECSC Coal Research programme. Their fields of
interest are mining technologies (TG1), conversion technologies
(TG2) and clean coal technologies (TG3), respectively.

2.1 General situation in the steel sector

In 2004 the buoyant global economy provided a significant
boost to the European economy but domestic demand failed to
pick up substantially. The prospects for 2005 largely depend
on the performance of the world economy, since the euro-zone
is very much dependent on final demand generated elsewhere.

The key as to whether the global economy and with it the steel
market will continue to expand this coming year is, China and
other Asian countries. China appears to have entered a phase
of controlled slowdown and its growth is becoming more
sustainable.

2.1.1 With the moderation in world economic growth
expected this year and the slow development of the recovery in
continental Europe,
real consumption
growth will expand at a slower rate than in 2004.However,
since stocks levels of some products are too high in some
countries, a moderation in apparent consumption growth can
also be expected.

is expected that

it

2.2 Future prospects for steel research

2.2.1 R e su lts of

th e fi r st ca lls for te nde r follow i ng
i n
th e e x p i r y of th e E CS C: a c onsi de r a bl e f a ll
th e numbe r of suc ce ssful p r oposals i n t h e R FCS
pr og r a mme

With the help of a new standard contract, 49 contracts were
signed in 2003 and 51 in 2004; nearly 50 should be signed in
2005. The rate of success has fallen considerably, since the
number of proposals submitted has not diminished in relation
to the amount of aid available — quite the reverse. For
example, 116 proposals were submitted in 2002, 143 in 2003
and 173 in 2004. The rate of success of the projects is about
30 % at present, whereas it was 50-55 % at the beginning of
this decade. This recent tendency has been observed at a time
when the new Member States are still participating relatively
little in the RFCS programme.

2.2.2 T h e

Ste e l Te c h nolog y

Pla tfor m:
th e
lo n g - t e r m v i s i o n of

r i g h t
st e e l

f r a m e w o r k for
r e se a r c h

a

1.3.5
The level of involvement of companies and institutions
based in the 10 Accession States in the year 2000 ECSC propo-
sals was almost nil, as opposed to 4.2 % and 14.16 % for steel
and coal proposals respectively at the time of the 2004 RFCS
call. The total number of representatives from the 10 new
Member States on the various committees and advisory and
technical groups is 25 (11 COSCO, 5 SAG, 4 CAG, 3 steel TGs
and 2 coal TGs).

The steel industry has to confront many challenges in different
areas such as the need for competitiveness arising from globali-
large producers (at present
sation; the rapid growth of new,
China); environmental rules which concern both processes and
products;
the requirements of customers and shareholders;
health and safety at work and training.

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The ambition of the steel industry is to maintain and even rein-
force a global leadership, which is both sustainable and compe-
titive.

— Energy efficiency and resource savings

To meet this ambition, a group of personalities decided to
launch a determined, long-term and structured R&D action, in
the framework of a Steel Technology Platform. This platform
was launched on 12 March 2004.

The CCMI is one of the platform's partners and is represented
on its Steering Committee.

Six working groups,

2.2.2.1
involving more than 100
people and corresponding to the 4 pillars of sustainable
development, have been set up: profit, partners (involving
both automotive and construction sectors), planet and people,
as well as energy. These working groups have devised three
large and complementary R&D industrial programmes
with wide-ranging social impacts, each encompassing several
R&D Themes and Research Areas.

2.2.2.2
ranging social impacts are proposed:

Three

industrial programmes with large wide-

— Safe, clean, cost-effective and low capital-intensive technolo-

gies

— Rational use of energy resources and residue management

— Appealing steel solutions for end users

conventional

2.2.2.3
Concerning the first large programme, great flex-
ibility is needed in the whole steel industry production chain in
order to cope with the expanding range of products that will
have to be supplied at low cost. Much more compact lines with
very short response times and extended ranges of capability
would be of benefit to the steel sector. On the other hand,
where
technologies are mature and robust
enough to guarantee stable performance, intelligent manufac-
turing technology should contribute to the development of
more flexible processes. New production concepts, such as
intelligent manufacturing processes and efficient production
organisation, need to be designed and developed, based on
breakthrough organisational technologies to ensure the evolu-
tion of new processes, products and services.

2.2.2.4
large programme:

Three major themes have been identified in the first

— Novel integrated routes for ‘oxide free’ and energy efficient

processing

— Flexible and multifunctional production chain

— Intelligent manufacturing.

— Development of green products that take into account the

social impact of materials.

2.2.2.6
The third large programme addresses the challenge
of meeting customer's demands for a broad variety of ever
more sophisticated high-performance materials for, essentially,
two markets: the automotive and the construction sectors. A
third (energy) is being considered this year.

2.2.2.7
All together, these three programmes aim to play a
major role in boosting competitiveness, economic growth
and the related impact on employment in Europe. The
corresponding R&D themes and areas that have been identified
in those programmes are bringing a strong contribution to
the sustainable development approach. Protecting the
environment (greenhouse gases emissions, particularly CO2
emissions) and increasing energy efficiency constitute both
major transversal issues in the universe of the proposed RTD
the third very
programmes. Security and safety represent
important objective to be addressed, not only in the relevant
industries but also in customers' everyday life as users of steel
solutions (cars, buildings, energy production and transport, etc.)
by developing new clever and safer steel solutions.

Another major

involving
2.2.2.8
human resources' aspects, has also been taken into considera-
tion (attracting and securing qualified people to help meet the
steel sector ambition). In this respect:

transversal

theme,

that

— A large European network (Top Industrial Managers for
Europe (TIME), 47 universities from all 25 Member States),
involved in education, training, communication and disse-
mination activities has been identified among the stake-
holders of the EU Steel Technology Platform. This network
should play a leading role in both analysing how the educa-
tion system could meet future requirements for qualified
people in the European steel industry and devising effective
approaches to addressing its anticipated shortcomings.

— Human resources as the holders of a company's core
competencies, represent a key asset that should be dynami-
cally optimised. A survey of the steps taken by European
steel producers
in terms of change management and
progression towards a ‘knowledge organisation’, leading to
exchanges of best practices, should significantly contribute
to such an optimisation process.

2.2.2.5
three major R&D themes:

The second large programme is also focussed on

— The greenhouse-gas challenge

The vision of the future described in the Strategic
2.2.2.9
Research Agenda adopted by the Steering Committee of the
Platform on 15 December 2004 sketches out the prospects of
steel research for the coming years and decades.

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2.2.2.10
A second version of the Strategic Research Agenda
will set priorities and make proposals with regard to the
placing of themes and research fields in the various European
programmes: RFCS, RDFP (Framework programme, FP), Eureka,
national and regional programmes, etc. Thus, it will include the
main consensus-based topics for research to be pursued by the
RFCS.

— clearly identified industrial objectives which are important

for the long-term competitiveness of the steel sector;

— a consortium that has already been formed with the leading

players in the European steel industry.

2.2.2.11
The nature of the research themes described in the
Strategic Research Agenda, combined with the skills of the
necessary partners, should guide the choice of appropriate
European programme. For example, though not exclusively,
RFCS for research specific to steel and RDFP for research invol-
ving partners from more than one industrial sector
(e.g.
suppliers and component manufacturers where the develop-
ment of new technologies is concerned; customers and users —
such as automobile and construction industries — where it is a
question of developing innovative steel solutions etc.). Similar
guidance should exist in the context of
joint technological
action for
long-term programmes requiring sizeable
investments and centred on European themes selected by
consensus.

large,

Their commitments are contained in a consortium agreement.
Given the characteristics of this project industry advised,
in
February 2005, the Commission of the platform's interest in
setting up a Joint Technology Initiative (JTI). However, ESTEP
was not selected for a JTI in the Commission's proposal of 6
April 2005 to the European Parliament and Council.

Finally, regular updating of

2.2.2.16
the programmes
should make it possible to keep them perfectly matched
to industrial needs.

full effectiveness,
that

the approach
To achieve its
2.2.2.12
suggested above requires, of course,
the different
programmes be coordinated. Thus the Platform's Strategic
Research Agenda must be a document of choice for the forth-
coming revision of the steel guidelines. Moreover, coordination
of programmes should make it possible to give all projects the
same opportunity, regardless of which European programme
they come under.

3. Coal

3.1 General situation in the coal sector

the possibility to implement

2.2.2.13
The next FP7 and other European programmes
(Eurêka, etc.), national and even regional programmes, should
offer
the Strategic Research
Agenda. However, the Joint Technology Initiatives, together
with loans of the European Investment Bank, will enable the
development of emergent breakthrough technologies and their
implementation on wide industrial scales, over the coming
decades.

3.1.1
Europe is the world's third largest coal consumer. In
terms of provision of energy to the European Union, coal is
one of the central pillars supporting the balanced energy mix
and its role has clearly increased with EU enlargement. It is an
essential feedstock fuel for iron and steel making, while in the
electricity sector with a share of 32 %,
it remains a fuel of
choice by virtue of its security of supply and competitiveness.

the

In addition,

2.2.2.14
consensus-based selection of
priority specific themes for the steel programme in the plat-
form's Strategic Research Agenda should build a reserve of
priority topics (requiring both considerable funding and consid-
erable technical resources) to be submitted in response to the
annual calls for tender for RFCS steel research. Doing so would
also offer an opportunity to avoid the fragmentation of subsi-
dies, to reduce administrative costs by reducing the number of
to achieve greater efficiency by
proposals and, above all,
concentrating resources on topics that are vital for the steel
industry's competitiveness.

2.2.2.15
One of the projects (ULCOS, Ultra Low CO2 Steel
Making) of the 2nd programme of the steel platform is aiming
at reducing drastically the CO2 emissions in steelmaking. It has
the following characteristics:

3.1.2
European coal mining is a highly developed sector of
industry. Compared to deposits overseas, the geological condi-
tions for hard coal in Europe are demanding. The challenge of
in a
exploiting these deeper deposits has resulted, however,
leading position for European mining technology. Today, Euro-
pean mining technology holds more than half of the expanding
world market — not least as a result of ECSC RTD funding (2).

3.1.3
A commitment to maintaining Europe's leading posi-
tion assumes appropriate research funding, which will favour
not only employment in this sector but also the Community's
balance of payment and has associated multiplier effects. This
applies to both mining as well as clean coal utilisation since
technological advances have to focus on all critical aspects of
the coal chain.

— an issue that concerns the whole of Europe and is incorpo-

rated in the 7th Framework Programme;

(2) The World Energy Council has predicted a rapidly growing total
investment volume of EUR 3,000 billion over the next 25 years for
the construction and equipping of mines.

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3.2 Research perspectives in the coal sector

The sector has an excellent research infrastructure,
3.2.1
which cooperates well at European level. For years it has
from the former Accession (now New
involved partners
Member States)
in joint research projects. The FP5–funded
Network on European Sustainable Mineral Industries (NESMI),
in European mining
comprising about 100 stakeholders
industry and science, exists since 2002. An important outcome
of NESMI is the European Technology Platform for Sustainable
Mineral Resources (ETPSMR), announced at the NESMI confer-
ence on 15 March 2005, which is to be launched in September
2005.

3.2.2

The strategic objectives for coal RTD are:

— Securing Europe's future energy supply

— Developing innovative and sustainable production technolo-

gies

— Improving the efficiency of coal utilisation so as to reduce

emissions

— Sustainable usage of energy resources

— Creating European added value through R&D-based tech-

nology leadership.

3.3 RTD in mining technology

3.3.1
cutting throughout the whole production process:

RTD has to give priority to productivity and cost

Exploitation at low cost whilst avoiding operational downtimes
requires an optimum knowledge of the deposit obtained by
prior exploration. New underground exploration methods
should therefore be developed in a multidisciplinary approach.
In order to achieve further cost savings in planning, develop-
ment and operational control, it is necessary to continue the
development of modern surveying systems, including satellite
technology.

The safe and cost-effective development of deposits
3.3.2
requires intelligent and flexible manufacturing systems,
such as novel road driving and winning methods with the
application of robots, advanced automation and artificial intelli-
improved
gence. Key terms here are further automation,
process control and embedded systems for operation and main-
tenance.

The development objectives in automation concern
3.3.3
intelligent, autonomous sensors and actuators, wireless sensor
networks, new physical measuring procedures, localisation and
navigation systems and intelligent image processing systems.

3.3.4
Improved and highly rationalised strata control tech-
niques are a matter of high priority for ensuring the more
economic and safer support of mine exploitation, especially at

greater depth. A particular aid to planning, which is of very
great interest here, is the further development of rock mechan-
ical modelling.

A key issue, necessary in all phases of the production
3.3.5
process
including
is
improved information technology,
sensing, monitoring, and analytical techniques. In detail, this
involves
communication, particularly mobile underground
communication, including related IT terminals. Virtual reality,
successfully developed in a RFCS joint project, could further
improve mine-control station technology. Increased computer-
assisted process management will improve both efficiency and
safety in the workplace.

Assembly and dismantling is an obstacle to any
3.3.6
further progress in productivity owing to the confined spatial
conditions and steadily growing dimensions and unit weights.
One major objective therefore, is to reduce the assembly and
dismantling times using new assembly/dismantling techniques
and to restrict the components to a small number of standar-
dised, compact components. Once again, modern IT tech-
nology can be used as a supporting measure. Something
similar applies with respect to the transport of material under-
ground. The prime objectives here are the automation of trans-
port using modern sensor systems and optimised material
handling.

The costs of environmentally relevant actions and the
3.3.7
question of public acceptance of mining in densely populated
regions make environmental protection, with a view to elimina-
tion or reduction of various harmful
influences of mines or
coking plants on the environment an important subject for
research. Any methodological progress achieved in these areas
will have both considerable export potential and an enormous
impact on other industries and is badly needed by society as a
whole. This concerns active mines as well as closure measures
and follow-up use.

levels and gas emissions after closure.

3.3.8
Examples of the need for R&D include more precise
procedures for forecasting both the recurrent rises in mine-
water
In addition,
general technical progress in other sectors of industry should
also be used as far as possible and their modification for under-
ground hard coal mining supported. Key words in this connec-
tion are nanotechnology, bionics, sensors from aerospace tech-
nology and robotics.

3.4 RTD in Clean Coal Utilisation

3.4.1
for clean coal utilisation:

The major objectives here also represent two stages

— Improved efficiency in order to reduce emissions and for a

sustainable use of resources, and

— CO2 sequestration and storage.

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3.4.2
For clean coal utilisation, the current preferred option
is to increase efficiency because it reduces emissions and helps
to achieve the aim of conservation of resources. This strategy is
favoured due to the fact that there will be an anticipated need
for replacement and new construction in excess of 200 GW
power plant capacities (EU15) in Europe for the period 2010
to 2020. For fossil-fuel-fired power plants, a percentage of
approximately 60 % is forecast, with coal alone contributing
23 %. This presents a major opportunity to use maximum —
efficiency technologies.

3.4.3 With the steam-power plant
technology achievable
today maximum efficiencies of 45 %-47 % are possible with the
use of hard coal. An increase to more than 50 % can be
expected, primarily due to a further rise in the process para-
meters of pressure and temperature (to more than 700 oC). A
key role is played here by the development and testing of new,
high-temperature materials. Compared with the technology
currently installed in Germany, this would mean savings of
about 30 % in CO2 emissions.

3.4.4
It is therefore possible to achieve a significant contri-
bution to the reduction of CO2 emissions while at the same
time conserving resources in the short term mainly by devel-
oping these conventional steam-power plant processes. This
should therefore be a major focus for future research funding.

3.4.5
In addition to more highly developed conventional
power-plant processes, combined processes may also provide
an alternative in the medium to long term. The main possible
variants here are the integrated coal gasification process (IGCC)
and pressurised pulverised coal firing. With these it would be
possible to achieve efficiencies of substantially higher than
50 %. Ongoing research into this must be intensified.

3.4.6
Furthermore, research is needed into the development
of zero-emission power plants, providing there is the political
will to achieve this. The installation of the equipment needed
to separate carbon dioxide however, produces a loss of 6 to 14
percentage points in plant efficiency. This not only increases
the cost of the end product but also contradicts the objective of
the conservation of resources. Optimised power-plant designs
with maximum possible efficiencies form the basic technologies
with a view, in particular, to the long-term objective of a CO2-
free power plant.

The zero-CO2 power station is a long-term vision.
3.4.7
Preventive climate protection demands the timely development
of processes for the technically and economically rational
separation of environmentally relevant trace gases from power-
station emissions with a view to preventing the release of CO2
into the atmosphere.

At present, the development of CO2 separation tech-
3.4.8
nologies (the first part of the process) appears to be simpler to

achieve than the reliable and long-term storage of the carbon
dioxide after separation (the 2nd part of the process) because
very little is known about the long-term behaviour of large
quantities of CO2 in enclosed storage chambers. At the present
time the debate is focused mainly on sequestration in depleted
oil and gas deposits or in deep salt aquifers. Such an under-
taking will require substantial logistical investment.

3.4.9
According to current expertise there is no insurmoun-
table technical obstacle to such a development, though the
concept is fraught with considerable economic and ecological
risk. Minimising this risk is one of the major tasks facing both
industry and governments in the years ahead.

4. Conclusions and Recommendations

After a period of transition of three years, the RFCS research
programme has proved to be efficient and effective, having
substantially integrated the network of experts of the former
ECSC Research programmes. The EESC recommends main-
taining, for the foreseeable future, both the same consultative
bodies (COSCO, SAG and CAG, Technical Groups)
for the
management of the programme and the same evaluation proce-
dure. The EESC asks the Commission to consider how to
increase the participation of experts in technical groups.

4.1
Although for administrative reasons the RFCS Research
programme includes both coal and steel, each sector has its
specific characteristics and needs that should be managed in
order to enhance the realisation of
technical and scientific
objectives of
improving their competitiveness. The EESC
supports the establishment of European Technology Platforms
in which both the steel and the coal sectors can find the appro-
priate environment for developing and coordinating their RTD
policies and activities utilising all available European resources.

4.2
The EESC is strongly in favour of a rapid and substantial
integration of enterprises, research centres and universities of
the new Member States in the RFSC research programme and
in the activities related to the relevant European Technology
Platforms for the steel and coal sectors.

4.3 Steel

In the coming decades, the EESC foresees an essential need in
the steel industry for collaborative research in order to main-
tain and even reinforce that industry's current global leadership
position; a position that is both sustainable and competitive.
The utilisation of steel
for meeting the future
is essential
requirements of society — and for the creation of new market
opportunities.
industry will have to
address, in particular, the need for more environment-friendly
products and new steel solutions.

In the future the steel

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4.3.1
The EESC identifies the following main issues:
— Protecting the environment (reduction of CO2 emissions in
particular) and increasing energy efficiency constitute both
major transversal
issues in the RTD programmes. New
processes have to be developed that would be more inte-
grated and flexible than existing ones.

— Security and safety also represent a very important objective
to be addressed, not only in the relevant industries but also
in customers' every-day life as users of steel solutions (cars,
buildings, energy production and transport, etc.) by devel-
oping new, more intelligent and safer
solutions.
Weight reduction in developing new steel products repre-
sents a shared objective as well. However, the social impact
of materials would -bring a valuable contribution to the
long term objectives of the steel sector (strengthening the
competitive position of steel products and the sustainability
of steel production processes).

steel

— Attracting and securing qualified people constitutes another
very important objective in helping to meet the ambitions
of the steel sector.

— The consensus-based identification of priority specific
themes for the Steel Technology Platform constitutes a
reserve of priority topics to be implemented with the

Brussels, 13 July 2005.

different European RTD instruments (RFCS, FP7, national
and even regional programmes). However the different
programmes need to be coordinated.

— The support of the European authorities in order that the
steel sector platform be adopted as a priority platform that
will benefit from a Joint Technology Initiative.

4.4 Coal

The EESC welcomes the new European Energy Priorities stres-
sing the significance of clean coal technologies for climate and
environmental protection and the security of energy supply in
the Union and announcing its commitment to clean coal tech-
nologies as a key priority for research in the 7th RTD Frame-
work Programme.

The programme should aim, therefore, at the improvement of
efficiency in order to reduce emissions and for a sustainable
use of resources as well as CO2 sequestration and storage
measures. As the broader orientated European Mining Tech-
nology Platform will provide strategies and instruments for
cross sectoral mining research, the complementary character of
the RFCS programme should be retained and the programme
should aim at specific coal mining RTD.

The President

of the European Economic and Social Committee

Anne-Marie SIGMUND