Key facts

Eight EU member states mine coal or lignite. Twenty member states use indigenous or imported coal for power generation. Only Malta reports no coal use.
In 2022, 17% of electricity generation in the EU-27 was coal-based. In five EU member states, coal or oil shale accounted for more than 25% of total power generation.
Coal – whether indigenous or imported – will continue to make a vital contribution to a secure, reliable and diverse energy supply in the EU.
An isolated EU climate policy would result in a greater share of gas in the fuel mix for power generation: geopolitical and price risks would grow.
Coal contributes to the creation of employment, added value and wealth. In 2022, the coal industry provided some 144 000 direct jobs in the EU-27.
EURACOAL supports climate and environmental protection with policies that enhance investments in the modernisation of coal-fired power plants.
The European coal industry is ready to participate constructively in the implementation of a clean energy transition strategy that makes best use of flexible coal power plants.
A just transition should preserve value chains in Europe’s coal regions by making optimal use of the coal sector’s competencies and assets
As the umbrella organisation of the European coal industry, EURACOAL sees itself as “the voice of coal in Europe” and therefore as a partner of policy makers and public authorities for all coal-related issues.

powering transition in Europe