Brussels, 22/01/2004 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday the Commission decided to authorise nearly € 1 billion aid which France is proposing to grant to its coal industry for the year 2003. The aid is meant to cover the costs of closure of the two last operating mines and in particular the social and regional implications of the closures and is two-fold: aid for the reduction of activity and aid covering exceptional costs resulting from the restructuring process: the reduction of activity aid...