For more than ten years, steam coal production in the world has been increasing, and for several years the increase in production was greater than the increase in demand. This contributed to the oversupply of coal in the markets and has become the main reason for the decline in coal prices. This downward trend in prices continues for the fourth year in a row. Thanks to low prices, coal consumption in 2013 increased. However, in the future the growth of coal consumption in major markets – in Western Europe, North America, and even in Asia – will gradually decrease. For coal producers, this means the need to reduce production. It is expected that the oversupply of coal in international markets will continue for about two years. This will be a barrier to an increase in coal prices. The problem of oversupply and low prices now faces most coal producers in the world – including Polish mines.