25. 4. 87 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 110/27 COMMISSION DECISION of 7 April 1987 approving aid from Belgium to the coal industry during 1987 (Only the French and Dutch texts are authentic) (87/239/ECSC) THE COMMISSION OF THE .EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community, Having regard to Commission Decision 2064/86/ECSC of 30 June 1986 establishing Community rules for State aid to the coal industry ('), Whereas : In its communications of 27 October and 25 November 1986 the Belgian Government informed the Commission, pursuant to Article 9 (2) of Decision 2064/86/ECSC, of the financial measures it intends to take during 1987 in order to give direct or indirect support to the coal industry. The following aids are submitted for the approval of the Commission under the above Decision : (in million Bfrs) — aid to cover operating losses : 8 629,1 — Aid to sales of coal and coke to the iron and steel industry of the Community : 6 949,8 — Aid to maintain a qualified work- force of underground staff : 9,7 The aid totalling Bfrs 8 629 100 000 to cover operating losses will be granted to the Campine coalfield for a volume of 3 375000 tonnes of production in order to cover part of the difference, for each tonne produced, between foreseeable average costs and the foreseeable average returns. The aid will cover less than 90 % of the anticipated operating losses and hence complies with the conditions of Article 3 (1) of the Decision. The aid to cover operating losses is aimed at preventing premature pit closures. In accordance with the third indent of Article 2 (1), this contributes to solving the social and regional problems related to developments in the coal industry. () OJ No L 177, 1. 7. 1986, p. 1. In accordance with Article 12 of the Decision, coal under- takings shall be authorized, where necessary, to grant rebates on their list prices or production costs, for delive- ries of coking coal, blast-furnace coke, and coal for injec- tion into blast furnaces for the iron and steel industry of the Community under long-term contract ; these rebates must not cause the delivered prices of Community coal and coke to work out lower than those which would be charged for coal from non-member countries and coke made from non-member country coking coal. According to the Belgian Government, the aid to sales of coking coal, blast-furnace coke, and coal for injection into blast furnaces for the iron and steel industry of the Community, totalling Bfrs 6 949 800 000, will make up the difference between world market prices and produc- tion costs for 2475000 tonnes. The aid therefore conforms to Article 4 of the Decision. The sales aid for supplies of coal, blast-furnace coke, and coal for injection into blast furnaces for the iron and steel industry of the Community is intended to prevent prema- ture pit closures. In accordance with the third indent of Article 2 (1), this contributes to solving the social and regional problems related to developments in the coal industry. The aid granted to maintain a qualified workforce of underground staff is a long-standing specific measure which is conducted separately from the aid pursuant to Articles 3 to 5 of the Decision. The aid therefore conforms to Article 6 of the Decision. The object of the measure isto maintain a qualified work- force for the purpose of rationalization measures in order to improve the coal industry’s competitiveness in accor- dance with the first indent of Article 2 (1) of the Decision. I The following observations should be made on the compatibility of the proposed aid to current production withthe proper functioning of the common market : — there are unlikely to be supply difficulties in 1987 in view of pithead stocks of coal and coke, — deliveries of Belgian coal to other Community coun- tries are very small,