Brussels, 10/03/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 9 March, the European Commission authorised investment aid of €30.18 million granted by Germany to the "Top Gas Recycling" (TGR) project of ArcelorMittal Eisenhuettenstadt GmbH. TGR is an innovative project which makes it possible to separate CO2 from other gases as they come out of the furnace and recycles the CO2-free emissions to be used in the production of steel. TGR technology allows steel producers to use less coke and thus reduce their CO2 emissions by 16 % compared to the current technology. This is the first time that TGR technology has been implemented on an industrial scale. The Commission concluded that the environmental benefits caused by the aid would considerably outweigh any possible competition distortions. As Joaquín Almunia put it: "The Top Gas Recycling technology will enable considerable reductions of CO2 in the steel sector". The vice-president of the Commission with responsibility for competition issues added that "the German measure is a contribution to the key objective of fighting climate change without unduly distorting competition". (O.L./trans.fl)