EC wants to monitor government plans for the steel sector

The government will amend the 2003-2006 steel and iron industries restructuring programme. On January 10 the Economy Ministry plans to present the new document to the European Commission (EC). January 10 is also the deadline for filing privatization offers for the Polish Steel Mills (PHS). The major changes that were negotiated in Copenhagen was that mills would produce 901,000 tonnes less and in return receive state aid of zl. 3.3 billion. However, the EU appears not to trust the Polish government and is demanding clear and binding declarations from the government that aid programmes will in fact be implemented. The EC wants to supervise the restructuring process and monitor the aid distributed. It also wants to make sure that after the privatization of PHS the, devised plans will be implemented. (Puls Biznesu, p. 6) A.C.