This briefing paper identifies and illustrates European experiences in assisting older coal miners and other displaced workers through early retirement and other targeted support. In the context of the future cessation of lignite burning at the Matra Power Plant, the main aim is to provide information on practices and lessons learned following the closure of mining and power plant operations that could be useful for relevant stakeholders in identifying possible strategies to support older workers who cannot be easily reallocated in the labour market. The research has been developed at the request of the Hungarian Trade Union of Mining, Energy and Industry Workers (BDSZ), as part of the assistance it is receiving from the EU Coal Regions in Transition Initiative’s START Programme. It will assist BDSZ in its efforts to ensure appropriate pension and welfare provision and support for its members.
Authors
Directorate-General for Energy, European Commission, Baker, Paul, Cacciapaglia, Maristella, Ciffolilli, Andrea, Pollock, Robert, Pompili, Marco
- Catalogue number
- MJ-09-24-527-EN-N
- Citation
- European Commission: Directorate-General for Energy, Baker, P., Cacciapaglia, M., Ciffolilli, A., Pollock, R. et al., Retirement and support packages for older workers in the EU coal sector – A briefing paper on European cases , Publications Office of the European Union, 2024, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2833/183006
- DOI
- https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2833/183006
- ISBN
- 978-92-68-18257-4
- Pages
- 38
- Published in
- Belgium
- Themes
- Employment policy , Social policy
Table of Contents
- Introduction: background and objectives 5
- Background and context 5
- The literature: a brief synthesis 5
- Report structure 6
- The Polish case 7
- Key lessons 7
- Context 7
- Characteristics of the schemes 8
- Key results/effectiveness 10
- The German case 13
- Key lessons 13
- Context 13
- Characteristics of the schemes 14
- Key results/effectiveness 17
- The Czech case 19
- Key lessons 19
- Context 19
- Characteristics of the scheme/intervention 20
- Key results/effectiveness 23
- The Spanish case 24
- Key lessons 24
- Context 24
- Characteristics of the schemes 26
- Key results/effectiveness 27
- Comparative analysis and conclusions 28
- Summary of early retirement schemes examined in the report 28
- Cross cutting conclusions 31
- Further reading 33
- General sources 33
- The Polish case 33
- The German case 34
- The Czech case 34
- The Spanish case 35
- Annex: Miners’ Pensions in Hungary 36
- An overview provided by the Trade Union of Mining, Energy and Industry Workers (BDSZ) 36
- Table 1. State subsidies planned in the 1998 restructuring programme for 1998-2002, millions of USD of 2005 9
- Table 2. Implemented measures in Ruhr 15
- Table 3. Implemented measures in Lusatia 16
- Table 4. Summary of Spain’s coal mining restructuring plans 25
- Table 5. Summary of initiatives supporting mine workers’ phasing out in the countries covered in the report 29
