Press Release: European Commission approves German hard coal state aid for 2008

The Commission approved German State aid in favour of hard coal production in the year 2008. The measure essentially covers State aid to accessing coal reserves and to cover exceptional costs for German hard coal mining. The total State aid for 2008 is 2 378 million €. As in past years the German authorities notified this yearly measure to implement the coal production plan as previously approved by the Commission. Since the budget of the year 2008 is lower than the one foreseen in the plan and since the measures at stake are consistent with those previously foreseen, the Commission considered the aid for 2008 to be compatible with EU rules on State aid to the coal industry.