23/01/2013 (Agence Europe) - Various state aids authorised. On 23 January, the European Commission approved compensation of public financing granted by France to the French bank La Banque Postale in order to improve banking accessibility (Livret A), concluding that this compensation does not exceed the net cost for discharging the public service obligations. The Commission also approved 42.247 trillion forints (about €140 million) of public funding for the closure of an uncompetitive coal mine in Hungary, the Márkushegy Mine. Lastly, the Commission approved amendments to the Finnish scheme supporting investment in cleaner ships. (OL/transl.fl)