On Friday 15 November, the European Commission authorised, under EU State aid rules, Romanian support of €790 million to cover the exceptional costs resulting from the closure of the four uncompetitive coal mines of Lonea, Lupeni, Livezeni and Vulcan in the Jiu Valley (south-west Romania).
This measure will help Romania to phase out coal by 2032, in line with the binding commitment it made as part of its ‘National Recovery and Resilience Plan’ and its ‘Territorial Just Transition Plan’.
The beneficiary will be Societatea Complexul Energetic Valea Jiului S.A., which manages the four mines and the Paroseni power station, with the aim of bringing mining activity to an end.
The measure covers the social costs for workers who lose their jobs as a result of the closure of the mines and the costs associated with the safety and clean-up work necessary for the closure of the four mines, in particular to secure the mine shafts, repair the damage caused to the environment and return the land to cultivation after the closure of the four mines. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)