The European Commission has approved the PLN 7.95bn (€1.8bn) support plans announced by Poland to alleviate the social and environmental impact of closing uncompetitive coal mines by 2018, considering that the support was in line with EU state aid rules and would not unduly distort competition.
In December 2010, the Council of the European Union allowed state aid to facilitate the closure of uncompetitive coal mines. Closure aid can cover operational losses subject to certain limits and must be based on an agreed closure plan. The Council Decision requires that a mine receiving closure aid must cease mining activities by the end of 2018 at the latest. The state support will fund severance payments, compensatory pensions and social security benefits for these workers and will be used to secure mine shafts and decommissioning of mine infrastructure, repair damage to the environment caused by mining and re-cultivate land after the mine closures. The remainder of the aid will cover production losses of the mines until closure.
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