L 241/10 Official Journal of the European Communities 11.9.2001 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 8 May 2001 authorising the United Kingdom to grant aid to the coal industry for 2001 (notified under document number C(2001) 1404) (Only the English text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2001/683/ECSC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community, Having regard to Commission Decision No 3632/93/ECSC of 28 December 1993 establishing Community rules for State aid to the coal industry (1), and in particular Article 9(4) thereof, Whereas: By letter of 16 March 2001, the United Kingdom noti- fied the Commission, in accordance with Article 9(1) of Decision No 3632/93/ECSC, of the financial aid which it proposed to grant to the coal industry for 2001. In the light of the information submitted by the United Kingdom, the Commission is required to take a decision on operating aid amounting to GBP 25259 000 to cover operating losses, for the period from 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2001, in four production units. The financial measures are covered by Article 1 of Decision No 3632/93/ECSC. The Commission must therefore take a decision on these measures pursuant to Article 9(4) of that Decision. Accordingly, the Commis- sion's approval is subject to the general objectives and criteria laid down in Article 2 and the specific criteria set out in Article 3 of Decision No 3632/93/ECSC and must, more generally, be compatible with the proper functioning of the common market. In addition, in its () O] L 329, 30.12.1993, p. 12. assessment the Commission is required to check, in accordance with Article 9(6) of that Decision, whether the measures notified are in conformity with the plan for the modernisation, rationalisation and restructuring of the United Kingdom coal industry approved by the Commission by Decision 2001/114/ECSC (3) and by Decision 2001/597/ECSC (*) (‘the restructuring plan’). II The sum of GBP 25259000 which the United Kingdom is proposing to grant to the coal industry under Article 3 of Decision No 3632/93/ECSC is intended to cover the difference between the production cost and the selling price of coal freely agreed between the contracting parties in the light of the prevailing conditions on the world market for coal of similar quality from third countries. The aid is intended for the following units: (a) GBP 18 318 000 for the Longannet Mine produc- tion unit of Mining (Scotland) Ltd; (b) GBP 3 807 000 for the Hatfield Colliery production unit of Hatfield Coal Company Ltd; (c) GBP 1168000 for the Blenkinsopp Colliery production unit of Blenkinsopp Collieries Ltd; (d) GBP 1966 000 for the Betws Colliery production unit of Betws Anthracite Ltd. 43, 14.2.2001, p. 27. 0] L 0] L 210, 3.8.2001, p. 32.