On Thursday 17 November, the European Commission approved Polish plans to grant public aid of around €1.79 billion to close down uncompetitive coal mines, by 2018, under favourable conditions.
In December 2010, the Council of the EU adopted a decision aiming to facilitate the closure of uncompetitive coal mines. This aid may be used to cover operating losses subject to certain limits and must be based on an appropriate exit plan. The Council's decision requires mines which benefit from close-down support to cease activities before the end of 2018.
The Polish aid will pay compensation to workers made redundant, their compensatory pensions and social security payments. The rest will be used to cover the operating losses of the mines until they have closed down, and the costs of refurbishing the surrounding area damaged by mining activities and re-cultivating the land after the mines have closed down. The aid will also be used to secure mine shafts and to cover the decommissioning of the mining infrastructure. (Original version in French by Élodie Lamer)