The European Parliament adopted by 529 votes to 148, with 14 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a Council decision amending Decision 2008/376/EC on the adoption of the Research Programme of the Research Fund for Coal and Steel and on the multiannual technical guidelines for this programme.

Parliament approved the Commission's proposal subject to amendments.

According to Members, the research programme should pay particular attention to research on raw materials deriving from coal wastes.

The research programme should be consistent with the EU's political, social, economic, climate, environmental, scientific and technological objectives and should be complementary to actions carried out in the Member States and under existing EU research programmes, including the Horizon Europe framework programme for research and innovation. It should be consistent with the Paris Agreement on climate change.

Aims of the programme

Parliament considers that the research programme should:

- provide support to all relevant stakeholders, including SMEs, for collaborative research in the coal and steel sectors;

- support advanced clean steel technologies leading to zero-carbon steel production projects, as well as research projects, including large-scale industrial research projects, to manage a just transition of formerly mined or closing coal mines and related infrastructure;

- support research activities, including demonstration projects, that bring technologies closer to the market.

Research objectives for coal

Research projects should contribute to the achievement of the EU's 2030 climate targets and support the transition of the industrial sector to a climate-neutral EU economy by 2050. The aim would be to support the phasing out of fossil fuels, to develop alternative activities for former mining or coal-fired power plant sites and to avoid or restore environmental damage of coal mines in the process of closure, formerly operating coal mines and their surroundings.

Projects should focus in particular on the following:

- development and analysis of carbon capture, utilisation and storage technologies related to coal use, including recycling of carbon in fuels and materials, with a view to promoting the circular economy

- development of clean energy in former mining sites, with a focus on energy efficiency and security of supply, including exploitation of geothermal resources, energy storage, e-fuels and hydrogen from renewable sources

- conversion of coal-fired heating and cooling infrastructure, such as district heating and cooling networks and industrial processes, to alternative heating and cooling systems from renewable sources, such as geothermal energy;

- assessment of the impact on employment in local communities and regions affected by the phasing out of coal and development of a regional concept for economic development, job creation and effective retraining programmes for the affected workforce in these regions;

- mining-related diseases, especially those caused by air pollution.

Preventing and minimising the environmental impacts of the coal sector in transition

Preference should be given to projects that are based on innovative technologies or an innovative combination of technologies and that include

- the management and reuse of mining waste from coal mines and coal power plants in the process of closing or were previously in operation;

- the development of a regional concept for the diversification of economic activities for local development and the creation of green and quality jobs.

Research objectives for steel

Substantially reducing emissions, energy consumption, the carbon footprint and other environmental impacts, through objectively verifiable tools, parameters and data, as well as conserving resources, should form an integral part of the activities sought.

Projects should place particular emphasis on recycled steel, prolonging service life, enabling design for circularity, resistance of steels, reuse of obsolete steel and reuse of secondary raw materials, residues and by-products from other industries, such as biomass, for steel production and alloying.

Workforce management should be improved through predictive models for labour demand and reallocation.

The Committee on Industry, Research and Energy adopted the report by Cristian-Silviu BUŞOI (EPP, RO) on the proposal for a Council decision amending Decision 2008/376/EC on the adoption of the Research Programme of the Research Fund for Coal and Steel and on the multiannual technical guidelines for this programme.

As a reminder, the aim of the proposed Council decision is to revise the research objectives for coal and steel of the research programme of the Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS) in the light of the Paris Agreement, the European Green Deal, the Sustainable Europe Investment Plan, the New Circular Economy Action Plan and the New Industrial Strategy for Europe.

The committee responsible recommended that the European Parliament give its consent to the conclusion of the agreement.

Amendments to the proposed Council Decision

The committee proposed that the Research Programme should:

- provide support to all relevant stakeholders, including SMEs, for collaborative research in the coal and steel sectors;

- provide support for clean steel breakthrough technologies leading to near zero-carbon steel making projects as well as research projects, including large industrial research projects, for managing the just transition of formerly operating coal mines or coal mines in the process of closure.

The scope of the research projects has been extended with a view to:

- supporting the phasing out of fossil fuels, to develop alternative activities on former mine or coal power plant sites and avoid or restore environmental damage of coal mines in the process of closure, formerly operating coal mines and their surroundings;

- developing and testing of carbon dioxide capture, use and storage technologies related to coal use, including carbon recycling in fuels and materials, with a view to promoting the circular economy;

- developing clean energy in former coal sites, paying particular attention to energy efficiency and security of supply, including the exploitation of geothermal resources, energy storage, e-fuels, and hydrogen from renewable sources;

- converting coal heating and cooling infrastructure, such as district heating and cooling networks and industrial processes, to renewable heating and cooling alternatives such as geothermal energy;

- focusing on diseases related to mining activities, with a special emphasis on air pollution induced diseases.

Moreover, preference should be given to projects based on innovative technologies and those aimed at promoting the circular economy.

PURPOSE: to revise the research objectives for coal and steel of the research programme of the Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS) in the light of the Paris Agreement, as well as with the scientific, technological and political objectives of the Union on climate neutrality by 2050.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the Council adopts the act after consulting the European Parliament but without being obliged to follow its opinion.

BACKGROUND: the proposal is part of a legal package revising the RFCS Research Programme. In particular, it is linked to the Commission’s proposals to amend Council Decision 2003/76/EC establishing the measures necessary for the implementation of Protocol (No 37) and Council Decision 2003/77/EC laying down the multiannual financial guidelines for managing the assets of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in liquidation and, on completion of the liquidation, the assets of the RFCS.

The proposal responds to the need to bring the RFCS Research Programme in line with the Paris Agreement, the Commission’s European Green Deal, the Sustainable Europe Investment Plan Communications, the New Circular Economy Action Plan and the Commission’s New Industrial Strategy for Europe.

CONTENT: the proposal amending Decision 2008/376/EC aims to:

- update the coal research objectives in line with the European Green Deal and the Just Transition Mechanism, namely to: (i) to support a just transition of the coal sector and coal regions; (ii) improve health and safety in coal mines under closure and in previously exploited coal mines; and (iii) minimise the environmental impacts of coal mining sites in transition;

- update steel research objectives in line with the European Green Deal and the Investment Plan for a Sustainable Europe: (i) developing low-carbon steel production processes to improve product quality and increase productivity; (ii) new advanced steel grades, improved steel properties, prolonging service life, high performance steels for applications such as mobility; (iii) recycling techniques for obsolete steel, waste treatment, pollution control and environmental protection at the workplace and in the steel industry; (iv) improving working conditions, including health, safety and ergonomics at the workplace;(iv) improvement of working conditions, including health, safety and ergonomics at work; including research activities under co-programmed European partnerships in the activities to be funded;

- repeal a reference to the consultation of the Committee where the estimated amount of the European Union contribution under the RFCS Research Programme is equal to or more than EUR 600 000;

- make applicable the general rules on remunerated external experts laid down in the Financial Regulation, instead of a special regime for experts under the research framework programme.