Brunner, Guido.

English

Archive of European Integration

KOMMISSIONEN  FOR  DE  EUROPtE.  IS·K.E  FtE··  .. ···;_···L··. E  ..  ~~K. AB~RS.- KOMMISSION  DER  EUROPAISCHEN  GEMEINSCHAFTEN-1  IP(79)24~ COMMISSION  OF  THE  EUROPEAN  COMMU,N.fTIES  - COMMISSION  DES  COMMUNAUTES  EUROPEENNES  -COMMISSIONE  DELLE  COMUNIT,(,;  EU.R6pEE.- COMMISSIE  v·AN  DE  EUROPESE  GEMEENSCHAPPEN ~--------------~~ ••  ••••  ••  ••  • •  •  •••••••••••  •••  •••  ••  •  •  •••••••  •  •••  •  ••  •  •••  ••••••••••• •••••  •  ••  •  •  • ••••  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . .  .  .  . .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . • •••  ••  •••  ••  • •  ••  •  •••  •  ••  ••••  •••••• •  •  ••  I  e  •  •  e  •  e  e  •  •••  • ••••••••••• ,...  e  e  e  ee  e  e  e  e  e  • •  • •••••••  • •  ••  •  •••••••••••••••  ••••  •  •  •  •  •  •••• •  • TALSMANDENS  GRUPP·'E SPRr  C  HER GRUP.PE· CiPOKESMAN'S  GRO.l,JP GROUPE  OU  PORTE-PAFiOLE GRUPPO  DEL  PORTAVOCE BUREAU  VAN  DE  WOORDVOEROER PRESSE-MEDDELELSE MITTEILUNG  l~N DIE  PRESSE PRESS-RELEj~SE INFORMATION  A  LA  PRESSE INFORMAZIONE  ALLA  STAMPA MEDEDELING  AAN  DE  PERS Brussels, 19  October  1979 MR.  BRUNNER'S  CEREMONIAl.  ADDRESS  ON  THE  25TH  ANNIVERSARY OF  THE  JOINT  COMMITTEE  FOR  THE  HARMONIZATION  OF  WORKING CONDITIONS  IN  THE  COAL-MINING  INDUSTRY SAARBRUCKEN,  19  OCTOBER  1979 As  Mr.  Brunner  stated in  his  ceremonial  address,  job security in the coal-mining  industry was  greater than  at  any  other time  in  the  last twenty  years.  He  ventured  the  fot•ecast  that,  in  five years'  time  at the  latest, coal  would  replace pe1troleum  products  - and  perhaps  also natural gas - to an  appreciable extent.  Prices  and  conditions of  supply on  the world  oil ma-rkets  would  th•~n not  only  justify using  coal  to obtain oil, petrol and  gas  but  would  alsc>  make  this an  economic  possibility. Europe  was  aware  of this and  it was  not  without  reason  that  . OM  2 500  million a  year  were  now  being  invested  in  the  coal-mining  industry. Although  the investment  budget  of the oil-processing  industry had  been  cut by  a quarter, that of the  coal-mining  industry had  been  increased by  30%. This year's coal  market  trends  were  far  better than  some  people  had expected only a  few  months  ago,  h•~  added.  Normalization  had  already begun. The  reduction of stocks  helped to cut  costs  and  reassure workers. Nobody  wished  to play  down  the worries  about  economic  viability  which would  remain  for a  short while,  M1•.  Brunner  said.  It was,  however,  mis-guided to wish  to keep  coal  from  th~ world  market  out  of  the  EEC.  If coal was  to play a  leading  role  in  Europe's  energy  supplies,  imported  coal  was essential.  Obtaining oil, gas  and  petrol  from  coal  requires  considerable consumption  which  our  own  sources  will  soon  be·  unable  to cover.  Immediate supplies of coal  from  the world  market  could  not  then  be  expected,  since the  world  coal  market  is tight, and  corresponds  to only  10%  of production at  the most.  Everybody  would  the1refore  be  well  advised  to cultivate links with  the  large coal-exporting  countries  now. A considerable  amount  of.short-term activity  was  being  conducted  in the  Community  to stabilize coal  sales.  Already  a  sum  of  DM  1 000  million was  being  spent  and  this would  be  boosted  even  more.  Mr.  Brunner  described the  common  European  energy  market,,  which.also  operated  when  the  supply situation was  critical, as  the  European  Community's  major  contribution to promQting  sales. .1. --------------------------------2. Sdcni' .  however,  the,~r.ab'  rr4Wbtem:mWOG:W:<~J.::tlta1:'~ of producti·on because new.,pi:t:s~;;.we~e expenswei:  atte.mtond··neefiell~<"'!:O: bez::pa'td ·now  to cr-eating:  the·· fi'n-anctaH.; .  conditions  ~for  ·  exp·andmg.•. coat  'p~~e-t'torr.;;  Ttle" Etaropear:t  comm.un it  y wa.s,.worfdng  on  this;  Di'rEtct'::investm.ent  aids  and  interest reUef weF"e  being considered.  Advantage  should·:also b€L.taken  of  the  Communtty's  e)Eceltent credit  rating on  therintemat:tonabl;cs,:rltal mwets.;;  A EuroyJean  energy loan  could  channel  eur:odoltars  aMdo~t.i 'revenue into hi·gh-t-echncttogy  energy investment;. Coal  too wou·ld  be  unable to faee the future  with past :and  present me•thods,  Mr.  Brurme•r  stressed.  Coa~~s gV<eatest  opportunity  Lay  in the development  and  use of new· tecl'lnotog;;es.  WfifeA· the oil  ran" out, coal would  have  to  be  ready  to ~step··irvtc~~provi-de·:'petrol,. gas and industrial feedstocks. In the European. Cornmunit)' -7Q1'':ot·'totae  '·  reaearch  funds: - DM  3  500  milL ion over  the next  four years - we·r-e·.:be:tngr:;usee·t()::devebop  future energy potential. D~r 2SO.:mill ion  will be  avatlahbe':'fOf!!"'introducirig,,:the  new  coal  technology on to. the>'market.  Mf'i,  .Stunner  was"ccmftdeat  tl'lat~the  European  Community  would be·. able '·to :·cope  wi·thhthe  changes::iri  tf!re  .. 'woetdcee:onomy  in the seventies  and eighti.es.  Coal  would  play· a  key·  .. rote~  .. .. 

Mr. Brunner's ceremonial address on the 25th anniversary of the Joint Committee for the Harmonization of Working Conditions in the Coal-Mining Industry. Saarbrucken, 19 October 1979

KOMMISSIONEN FOR DE EUROPtE. IS·K.E FtE·· .. ···;_···L··. E .. ~~K. AB~RS.- KOMMISSION DER EUROPAISCHEN GEMEINSCHAFTEN-1 IP(79)24~ 
COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMU,N.fTIES - COMMISSION DES COMMUNAUTES EUROPEENNES -
COMMISSIONE DELLE COMUNIT,(,; EU.R6pEE.- COMMISSIE v·AN DE EUROPESE GEMEENSCHAPPEN 
~--------------~~ 
•• •••• •• •• • • • ••••••••••• ••• ••• •• • • ••••••• 
• ••• • •• • ••• ••••••••••• ••••• • •• • • • •••• 
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
• ••• •• ••• •• • • •• • ••• • •• •••• •••••• • • •• I e • • e • e e • ••• • ••••••••••• ,... e e e ee e e e e e 
• • • ••••••• • • •• • ••••••••••••••• •••• • • • • • •••• • • 
TALSMANDENS GRUPP·'E 
SPRr C HER GRUP.PE· 
CiPOKESMAN'S GRO.l,JP 
GROUPE OU PORTE-PAFiOLE 
GRUPPO DEL PORTAVOCE 
BUREAU VAN DE WOORDVOEROER 
PRESSE-MEDDELELSE 
MITTEILUNG l~N DIE PRESSE 
PRESS-RELEj~SE 
INFORMATION A LA PRESSE 
INFORMAZIONE ALLA STAMPA 
MEDEDELING AAN DE PERS 
Brussels, 19 October 1979 
MR. BRUNNER'S CEREMONIAl. ADDRESS ON THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY 
OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE FOR THE HARMONIZATION OF WORKING 
CONDITIONS IN THE COAL-MINING INDUSTRY 
SAARBRUCKEN, 19 OCTOBER 1979 
As Mr. Brunner stated in his ceremonial address, job security in 
the coal-mining industry was greater than at any other time in the last 
twenty years. He ventured the fot•ecast that, in five years' time at 
the latest, coal would replace pe1troleum products - and perhaps also 
natural gas - to an appreciable extent. Prices and conditions of supply 
on the world oil ma-rkets would th•~n not only justify using coal to obtain 
oil, petrol and gas but would alsc> make this an economic possibility. 
Europe was aware of this and it was not without reason that . 
OM 2 500 million a year were now being invested in the coal-mining industry. 
Although the investment budget of the oil-processing industry had been cut 
by a quarter, that of the coal-mining industry had been increased by 30%. 
This year's coal market trends were far better than some people had 
expected only a few months ago, h•~ added. Normalization had already begun. 
The reduction of stocks helped to cut costs and reassure workers. 
Nobody wished to play down the worries about economic viability which 
would remain for a short while, M1•. Brunner said. It was, however, mis-
guided to wish to keep coal from th~ world market out of the EEC. If coal 
was to play a leading role in Europe's energy supplies, imported coal was 
essential. Obtaining oil, gas and petrol from coal requires considerable 
consumption which our own sources will soon be· unable to cover. Immediate 
supplies of coal from the world market could not then be expected, since 
the world coal market is tight, and corresponds to only 10% of production 
at the most. Everybody would the1refore be well advised to cultivate 
links with the large coal-exporting countries now. 
A considerable amount of.short-term activity was being conducted in 
the Community to stabilize coal sales. Already a sum of DM 1 000 million 
was being spent and this would be boosted even more. Mr. Brunner described 
the common European energy market,, which.also operated when the supply 
situation was critical, as the European Community's major contribution to 
promQting sales. 
.1. 
--------------------------------
2. 
Sdcni' . however, the,~r.ab' rr4Wbtem:mWOG:W:<~J.::tlta1:'~ of producti·on because 
new.,pi:t:s~;;.we~e expenswei: atte.mtond··neefiell~<"'!:O: bez::pa'td ·now to cr-eating: the·· 
fi'n-anctaH.; . conditions ~for · exp·andmg.•. coat 'p~~e-t'torr.;; Ttle" Etaropear:t comm.un it y 
wa.s,.worfdng on this; Di'rEtct'::investm.ent aids and interest reUef weF"e being 
considered. Advantage should·:also b€L.taken of the Communtty's e)Eceltent 
credit rating on therintemat:tonabl;cs,:rltal mwets.;; A EuroyJean energy 
loan could channel eur:odoltars aMdo~t.i 'revenue into hi·gh-t-echncttogy energy 
investment;. 
Coal too wou·ld be unable to faee the future with past :and present 
me•thods, Mr. Brurme•r stressed. Coa~~s gV<eatest opportunity Lay in the 
development and use of new· tecl'lnotog;;es. WfifeA· the oil ran" out, coal 
would have to be ready to ~step··irvtc~~provi-de·:'petrol,. gas and industrial 
feedstocks. 
In the European. Cornmunit)' -7Q1'':ot·'totae '· reaearch funds: - DM 3 500 milL ion 
over the next four years - we·r-e·.:be:tngr:;usee·t()::devebop future energy potential. 
D~r 2SO.:mill ion will be avatlahbe':'fOf!!"'introducirig,,:the new coal technology on 
to. the>'market. Mf'i, .Stunner was"ccmftdeat tl'lat~the European Community would 
be·. able '·to :·cope wi·thhthe changes::iri tf!re .. 'woetdcee:onomy in the seventies and 
eighti.es. Coal would play· a key· .. rote~ .. 
.. 


Mr. Brunner's ceremonial address on the 25th anniversary of the Joint Committee for the Harmonization of Working Conditions in the Coal-Mining Industry. Saarbrucken, 19 October 1979

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