The European Association for Coal and Lignite – EURACOAL – is the umbrella organisation of the European coal industry. EURACOAL evolved in 2002 from the European Solid Fuels’ Association – CECSO – after the expiry of the ECSC Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community.

By integrating Members from Candidate and Accession Countries, EURACOAL has always anticipated important political developments taking place in the European Union.

EURACOAL’s mission is to highlight the importance of coal’s contribution to security of energy supply within the EU, to energy price stability, to added economic value and to environmental protection. EURACOAL seeks to be an active communicator, with the aim of creating an appropriate framework within which the European coal industry and coal consumers can operate.

Around 17% of the power generated in the EU-27 is coal-based. Steel producers and other energy-intensive industries all need large quantities of energy. Coal is therefore an important and reliable source of energy in its own right and will remain a vital component of EU energy supply.

EURACOAL’s activities are entirely geared towards the interests of its Members. This includes the whole process chain, beginning with coal extraction, marketing and transport, right through to coal use at power stations, in the steel industry, in other industrial and commercial sectors and by private households. Coal research plays an important role here to optimise processes.