International conference on technology for coal mining, preparation and utilisation : Results of the ECSC coal research programme 2002

The Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), the first cornerstone of the European Union, was implemented in 1952. The Treaty was signed for a period of 50 years and expired on 23 July 2002. For more than 40 years, under the terms of Article 55 of the Treaty, the ECSC has provided funds for research programmes relating to the production and use of steel and coal. These programmes are judged to have served the respective industries well and will, therefore, be continued in a modified form after the expiry of the Treaty. Among the series of events planned to mark the end of the ECSC Treaty, the European Commission organised this conference to present the results of the coal research programme, with emphasis on its contributions to the reduction of the cost and environmental impact of coal mining and coal utilisation, the improvement of safety and working conditions in the coal industry, and the improvement of coal products, such as metallurgical coke, and clean coal technology for heat and power generation