Parliament sides with Berlin and Madrid on coal subsidies

The European Parliament on Tuesday voted in favour of extending until 2018 an EU deadline for closing heavily subsidised coal mines, in line with demands from the German and Spanish governments. The MEP's opinion is consultative, but increases pressure on the European Commission to change its stance.

With the two biggest groups – the centre-right European People's Party and the Socialists and Democrats – backing the extension until 2018, the resolution passed overwhelmingly with 465 vot...