Brussels, 03/10/2002 (Agence Europe) - Following a decision made on 2 October by the European Commission, the German coal industry will be allowed to receive State aid worth 1 484 million euros for the period from 24 July 2002 to 31 December 2002. This aid will be used in the following manner: operating aid of € 702 million; aid of € 292 million for the reduction of activity; aid of € 12.3 million connected with the scheme to maintain the underground mining workforce(4) (Bergmannsprämie); aid of € 477.5 million to cover exceptional costs. The Commission had already, on 2 October 2001, authorised German aid totalling 2 073 million euros for the period from 1 January 2002 to 23 July 2002. The combined total amount of aid granted to the German coal industry for 2002 is therefore 3 557 million euros. In approving the aid, the Commission took particular account of the need to offset, as far as possible, the social and regional repercussions of the measures to restructure and reduce activity in the Community coal industry. The fact is that while the coal compromise of 1997 provided for German coal production of 37 million tonnes in 2002, the major reduction in activity in recent years will have the effect of cutting production in 2002 down to less than 29 million tonnes.