21.3.2001 Official Journal of the European Communities L 81/31 COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 13 December 2000 authorising the United Kingdom to grant aid to the coal industry, covering the period from 17 April to 31 December 2000 (notified under document number C(2000) 4056) (Only the English text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2001/217ECSC) 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 2001/114/ECSC final of 15 November 2000, approving the modernisation, rationali- sation and restructuring plan for the United Kingdom coal industry, covering the period from 17 April 2000 to 23 July 2002 (), Whereas: I (1) By letter of 15 November 2000, the United Kingdom notified the Commission, in accordance with Article 9(1) of Decision No 3632/93/ECSC, of financial aid which it proposed to grant the coal industry for the year 2000, and more specifically for the period from 17 April to 31 December 2000. 2)  In the light of the information submitted by the United Kingdom, the Commission is required to take a decision, pursuant to Decision No 3632/93/ECSC, on the following financial measure: — aid amounting to GBP 17,462 million to cover operating losses at the Longannet Mine production unit of the company Mining (Scotland) Ltd for the period from 17 April to 31 December 2000. (3)  The financial measures envisaged by the United Kingdom for the abovementioned plant are covered by Article 1 of Decision No 3632/93/ECSC, and the () O] L 329, 30.12.1993, p. 12. O] L 43, 14.2.2001, p. 27. Commission must therefore take a decision on them pursuant to Article 9(4) of that Decision. The Commis- sion's approval is subject to the measures complying with the general objectives and criteria laid down in Article 2 and with the specific criteria set out in Article 3 of that Decision, and to their being compatible with the proper functioning of the common market. In addi- tion, in its assessment the Commission checks, in accordance with Article 9(6) of the Decision, whether the measures are in conformity with the plan for the modernisation, rationalisation and restructuring of the United Kingdom coal industry which was approved by the Commission by its Decision of 15 November 2000. The sum of GBP 17,462 million which the United Kingdom is proposing to grant the Longannet Mine production unit under Article 3 of Decision No 3632/ 93/ECSC is intended to cover part of the difference between the production cost of coal and its selling price, 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. According to the information communicated by the United Kingdom, the sum proposed is intended to allow the production unit which receives it to improve its economic viability by reducing its production costs. At constant 1999 prices, production costs were GBP 43 per tonne coal equivalent (tce) in 1998, and should fall to GBP 35 per tce in 2002. In addition, the economic viability of the plant should continue to improve beyond 2002, as production costs at constant 1999 prices should settle at GBP 31 per tce in 2004.