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EU Proposes Rule on Orderly Closure of Non-Viable Coal Mines
2010-07-20 10:51:04.468 GMT
By Jones Hayden
July 20 (Bloomberg) -- The European Union approved a
proposal for a rule on state aid to facilitate the closure of
loss-making hard-coal mines in the EU by Oct. 15, 2014.
"Any further operating aid to the sector will be
conditional on the presentation of a closure plan for the loss-
making mines," the European Commission, the EU executive in
Brussels, said today in a statement. "The member states
concerned will be able to assist with the counseling and
training of the affected workers and ensuring that the mining
sites are properly cleaned up and safe," it said.
"The aim of the proposal is to ensure a definitive closure
of uncompetitive mines by Oct. 15, 2014," Competition
Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said in the statement. "There
should be no doubt about this. Companies need to be viable
without subsidies."
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To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Jones Hayden at +32-2-285-4312 or
jhayden1@bloomberg.net
