Brussels, 25/06/2002 (Agence Europe) - The ECSC member States (European Coal and Steel Community) are to transfer assets and liabilities to the EU on 23 July when the ECSC Treaty expires, in accordance with the Protocol attached to the Treaty of Nice. The net value of the assets, estimated at EUR 1.6 billion, will be allocated to the new Research Fund for coal and steel. The annual interest from this sum, EUR 60 million, will be broken down between steel and coal, with over 43 million to steel in 2003 and 2004. In parallel to this, the Telecommunications Council adopted without debate, last Tuesday in Luxembourg, the regulation making it compulsory for iron and steel producing companies to provide the Commission with statistics until 31 December despite expiry of the ECSC Treaty.
The post-ECSC programme will be complementary to the activities conducted in Member States and within the Union's framework programme on research on steel and coal. In this respect, Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin will give a lecture on "Research on Steel: from the ECSC to the future", on 26 June in Luxembourg. In addition to this new programme, the Commission will continue to closely monitor: (1) the situation of the coal industry in countries applying for EU membership in order to ensure viable restructuring (as is the case for the European coal industry - see EUROPE of 8 June 2002, p.2), and "gentle" insertion into the Union's industrial policy after enlargement; (2) environmental aspects and sustainable development of EU energy policy concerning coal and steel; (3) trade policy (accession, association and trade agreements) involving the coal and steel industry and above all protection measures such as import restrictions decided by third countries.