On 29th July 2022, the presidents of the industry association Branchenverband Steinkohle und Nachbergbau e. V. (bsn), Essen/Germany, and the Association of Mining, Geology and Environment (VBGU), Berlin/Germany, sealed the closer cooperation between their associations by signing a cooperation agreement (Figure 1). The two associations will more closely coordinate the representation of interests for mining companies and those no longer engaged in raw material extraction. Both partners want to jointly provide services for their member companies in questions of active mining as well as post-mining in the future. The exchange and cross-association positioning will initially take place in two joint committees dealing with the topics of mine water management and old mining and land reclamation.
The bsn is an industry and employers’ association and assumes responsibilities in social self-administration, is the collective agreement partner for the German coal mining industry in the post-mining era and supports its members in questions of company pension schemes.
The VBGU is an employers’ association and comprehensively represents the general business and socio-political and collective agreement interests of its members. It supports them in research and development and in vocational and advanced training and secures their access to economic and political decision-makers at the national and state levels. (bsn/VBGU/Si.)
