Cómo se dice que uno ha “tragado” en lenguaje europeo: las ayudas al carbón

Ministers are expected to adopt a new coal regulation enabling Member States to grant State aid to facilitate the closure of uncompetitive mines. The current Regulation ends on 31 December 2010. The Commission made a proposal on 20 July (see IP/10/984). On Wednesday, the Commission discussed the state of play in light of the extensive debate that has been ongoing both at the European Parliament and at the Council, and gave Joaquín Almunia, Commission Vice President in charge of Competition Policy, mandate to present its revised position to the Council with a view to reach an agreement. The Commission's new position accepts to allow operating aid for closure of the mines up to 31 December 2018 provided that a plan mitigating the environmental impact of the use of coal is put in place and that there is a reduction in the amount granted each year, so that in 2017 the operating subsidies left are only a fraction of what they were in 2011.