PURPOSE: to mobilise the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF/2020/000 TA 2020 - Technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission).

PROPOSED ACT: Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council.

CONTENT: the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) aims to provide support for workers made redundant and self-employed persons whose activities have ceased as a result of major structural changes in world trade patterns due to globalisation, as a result of a continuation of the global financial and economic crisis, or as a result of a new global financial and economic crisis, and to assist them with their reintegration into the labour market.

The EGF is not to exceed a maximum annual amount of EUR 150 million (2011 prices), as laid down in Article 12 of Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1311/2013 . Regulation (EU) No 1309/2013 provides that a maximum of 0.5 % of the annual maximum amount of the EGF may be used each year for technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission.

It is proposed that the EGF shall be mobilised in order to provide the sum of EUR 345 000 for technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission.

Technical assistance to be funded and breakdown of estimated costs (administration support - EUR 210 000 and technical support - EUR 135 000)

Administrative support shall include: meetings of expert groups and promoting networking as well as fostering information activities while technical support shall include the maintenance and updating of an electronic data exchange system and monitoring and data gathering regarding applications received, paid and wound up, and measures proposed and implemented.

Financing

Currently, the entire amount for 2020 remains available; nothing has yet been allocated to technical assistance. The proposed amount corresponds to 0.19% of the maximum annual budget available for the EGF in 2020.

The proposed decision to mobilise the EGF shall be taken jointly by the European Parliament and the Council, as laid down in point 13 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 2 December 2013 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management.

At the same time as it presents this proposal for a decision to mobilise the EGF, the Commission shall present to the European Parliament and to the Council a proposal for a transfer to the relevant budgetary line for the amount of EUR 345 000.

Appropriations from the EGF budget line shall be used to cover the amount of EUR 345 000 needed for technical assistance.