Suppression of the coal importation monopoly: ATIC Services succeeds to ATIC

1994 has been a turning point in the history of ATIC organism in charge for 50 years of the coal importation monopoly for the French government. Anticipating the suppression of this monopoly, an anonymous society, ATIC Services, has been created with the principal coal consumers as shareholders. Nevertheless, ATIC maintains its missions of general interest such as: identification forms control, verification of solid mineral fuel technical characteristics, statistics and general information. The decay of coal importations has increased to reach 6.2% in 1994 (against 6.5% in 1993 and 9.3% in 1992). Importations from Australia have replace those from the United States and show a 6.3% increase due to the needs of metallurgy industry. 1994 importations represent 13121 kt with 1119 kt from CEE countries (Germany, Benelux, United Kingdom). Colombia remains the main productive for Electricite de France (500 Kt), followed by South Africa which remains the first productive for industry. Maritime transportation is the quasi-unique way of solid mineral fuels importation to France. (J.S.). 1 fig