No L 137/16 Official Journal of the European Communities 18. 5. 82 COMMISSION DECISION of 28 April 1982 approving aids from the Federal Republic of Germany to the coal-mining industry during 1981 (Only the German text is authentic) (82/304/ECSC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to Commissin Decision No 528/76/ ECSC of 25 February 1976 regarding the Community system of measures taken by the Member States to assist the coal-mining industry (), Having consulted the Council, Whereas the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany has informed the Commission, pursuant to Article 2 of the above Decision, of the financial measures which it intends to implement directly or indirectly for the benefits of the coal industry in 1981 ; whereas, of these measures, the following may be approved pursuant to that Decision : (DM million) — investment aids to individual projects under an investment programme 68790 — aid for development and innovation (testing and trial of new equipment) . in the coal-mining industry 740 — premiums to shift-paid workers and piece workers for each shift worked underground 2200 — aid for the entertainment of long-term security stocks 1290 Whereas these aids meet the criteria laid down in the Decision for the admissibility of such State assistance ; Whereas the investment of DM 687000000 — included a special aid of DM 115 000 000 awarded to the Eschweiler Bergwerksverein — is proposed for investment projects for mines, coking plants, briquette works and pit-head power stations; whereas the percentage of all investment covered by investment aid is 50 % ; () OJ No L 63, 11. 3. 1976, p. 1. Whereas in relation to the Community’s new policy for coal, this 1981 investment aid, which fell by 9 % vis-a-vis 1980, is to be regarded as beneficial since it will promote the long-term stabilization of production in the German coalfields. The aid complies with the provisions of Article 7 (1) of the Decision ; Whereas, pursuant to Article 7 (5) of the Decision, the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany must notify the Commission at least once a year, in respect of each project in the programme which it has decided to carry out, of the aims pursued, the sums invested and the amounts of the aid; Whereas the sum of DM 74 000 000 to promote inno- vation is intended to ensure that research results are applied to production as quickly as possible ; whereas the aid is lower than the costs borne by the under- takings and is granted in respect of individual projects which, when completed, are likely to prove their economic worth to coal-mining in the medium term ; whereas the purpose and amount of this aid show that it is compatible with the third subparagraph of Article 7 (3) of the Decision ; Whereas the aid of DM 220000 000 towards the payment of the coal-winning premium helps the coal industry to secure a stable, skilled workforce, which is imperative if its productivity is to increase ; whereas the undertakings moreover incur expenditure on the necessary recruitment, training, retraining and reten- tion of workers which is several times the amount of aid in the form of this premium ; Whereas the purpose and amount of the coal-winning premium show that this measure is compatible with Article 8 of the Decision ; Whereas the aid of DM 129 000 000 for the entertain- ment of long-term security stocks is a measure by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany to increase the long-term security of energy supply; whereas, to this end, the emergency association of German mining industries has purchased 10 million tonnes of coal and coke ; whereas the aid proposed by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany for this purpose covers only part of the actual current cost of maintaining these stocks ;