9.5.2001 Official Journal of the European Communities L127/55 COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 21 December 2000 on German aid to the coal industry for 2000 and 2001 (notified under document number C(2000) 4407) (Only the German text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2001/361/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 2(1) and Article 9 thereof, Having regard to Commission Decision 1999/270/ECSC of 2 December 1998 authorising Germany to grant aid to the coal industry for 1998 and also giving a favourable opinion on the compatibility with Decision No 3632/93/ECSC of the new guidelines for coal policy up to the year 2002 (3), Whereas: (1) By letter of 28 September 1999, Germany notified the Commission, in accordance with Article 9(1) of Decision No 3632/93/ECSC, of the aid it intended to grant to the coal industry in 2000. By letters of 21 December 1999, 18 February 2000, 13 April 2000, 15 May 2000, 14 July 2000 and 22 November, Germany submitted the additional information requested by the Commission. (2) By letter of 29 September 2000, moreover, Germany notified the Commission, in accordance with Article 9(1) of Decision No 3632/93/ECSC, of the aid it intended to grant to the coal industry in 2001. By letter of 22 November 2000, Germany submitted the additional information requested by the Commission. () O] L 329, 30.12.1993, p. 12. () O] L 109, 27.4.1999, p. 14. () In its letters of 21 December 1999 and 22 November 2000, Germany more specifically notified the Commis- sion, in accordance with Article 8(4) of Decision No 3632/93/ECSC, of certain changes to the plan for the modernisation, rationalisation and restructuring of activity in the coal industry approved by the Commis- sion by Decision 1999/270/ECSC. In accordance with Decision No 3632/93/ECSC, the Commission first gives an opinion on the compatibility of the proposed changes to the plan referred to in recital 3 with the general and particular objectives of the Decision. Secondly, it gives its opinion, in accordance with the abovementioned Decision, on the following financial measures: (a) for 2000: — operating aid within the meaning of Article 3 of the Decision totalling DEM 3 847 million, — aid for the reduction of activity within the meaning of Article 4 of the Decision totalling DEM 3 138 million, — aid within the meaning of Article 3 of the Decision totalling DEM 71 million to maintain an underground labour force (Bergmanns- pramie’), — aid to cover exceptional costs within the meaning of Article 5 of the Decision totalling DEM 2 124 million; (b) for 2001: — operating aid within the meaning of Article 3 of the Decision totalling DEM 3 433 million, — aid for the reduction of activity within the meaning of Article 4 of the Decision totalling DEM 1 889 million,