No L 267/46 Official Journal of the European Communities 9. 11. 95 COMMISSION DECISION of 19 July 1995 authorizing France to grant aid to the coal industry for 1994 (Only the French text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (95/465/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 ('), and particular Articles 2 (1) and 9 thereof, Whereas : In accordance with Article 9 (1) of Decision No 3632/93/ ECSC, France notified the Commission by letter of 2 May 1994 of the financial aid which it proposed to grant to the coal industry for 1994. France informed the Commission in its notification that it was not however in a position to communicate the acti- vity-reduction plans referred to in Article 8 of the Deci- sion, as the future of the French coal industry was still discussed within Charbonnages de France and by repre- sentatives from both sides of industry before being approved by the public authorities. On 9 December 1994, France notifted the Commission of the board outlines of its plan to reduce activity in its coal industry. In its letter dated 25 April 1995, France provided supple- mentary information. Pursuant to Decision No 3632/93/ECSC, the Commis- sion : — is to give its opinion on the conformity of the coal industry’s activity-reduction plan with the general and specific objectives of the Decision, — s to give a ruling, for 1994, on the following financial measures : — aid aid to reduce activity, amounting to FF 1962 million, to-cover operating losses, () OJ No L 329, 30. 12. 1993, p. 12. — aid for research and development amounting to FF 15 million ; — aid to cover exceptional costs amounting to FF 4 032 million. The financial measures envisaged by France in favour of its coal industry are in line with Article 1 of Decision No 3632/93/ECSC and pursuant to Article 9 have to be approved by the Commission which is to give a ruling in particular on the basis of the general objectives and criteria laid down in Article 2 and the specific criteria set out in Articles 4, 5 and 6 of the Decision. When it studies the measures with the plans that have been communi- cated. 11 The coal industry activity-reduction plan notified by France has to be examined in the light of the general objectives and criteria set out in Article 2 (1) and the specific criteria and objectives laid down in Article 4 of Decision No 3632/93/ECSC. Aware of the economic and social impact of implemen- ting Decision No 3632/93/ECSC, the French authorities, motivated by the desire for transparency and consultation embarked on a wide general debate with all sides involved in the coalmining sector. This consultation process made it possible to reduce a common vision of the French coal industry’s future and resulted in the drawing up and signing of a national pact for coal between Charktonnages de France and the trade union organizations. This pact provides for the progressive cessation of coal- mining by 2005. The acute nature of the social and regi- onal problems did not enable the French authorities to adhere to the deadline of 2002 provided for in Decision No 3632/93/ECSC as the deadline for the closure plan. Staggering the closures over a 10-year period should help to reduce the particularly sensitive social and regional problems in regions which have been affected by the restructuring of the coal industry for a number of years. By staggering the closures, it will be possible to enable a maximum number of workers to benefit from measures based on age between now and the year 2005.