The European Parliament adopted by 609 votes to 35, with 51 abstentions, a resolution approving the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on mobilising the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) for displaced workers to provide an amount of EUR 290 000 in commitment and payment appropriations for technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission under the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2022.

The proposed amount of EUR 290 000 corresponds to approximately 0.14% of the maximum annual budget available for the EGF in 2022.

Parliament noted that the Commission will use the available budget under the administrative support to organise meetings of the Expert Group of Contact Persons of the EGF (which includes two members from each Member State) and a seminar with the participation of the implementing bodies of the EGF and social partners to promote networking among Member States.

The Commission is invited to:

- continue to invite Parliament systematically to these meetings and seminars in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Framework Agreement on relations between Parliament and the Commission;

- adapt the best practices which were developed during the times of the COVID-19 pandemic, when appropriate and needed, and not to eliminate them altogether when the circumstances of the pandemic allow, but to use them as a basis for better working methods and exchanges;

- to regularly update and expand the EGF website to increase the visibility of European solidarity demonstrated by the EGF to the general public and increase the transparency of Union action.

Members welcomed the continued work on the standardised procedures for EGF applications and management using the functionalities of the electronic data exchange system (Shared Fund Management Common System - SFC), which allows for the simplification and faster processing of applications, and better reporting.

PURPOSE: to mobilise the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers (EGF/2022/000 TA 2022 - Technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission).

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

CONTENT: the European Globalisation Fund for Displaced Workers (EGF) aims to demonstrate solidarity and promote decent and sustainable employment in the Union by providing support for workers made redundant and self-employed persons whose activity has ceased in the case of major restructuring events and assisting them in returning to decent and sustainable employment as soon as possible.

The EGF is not to exceed a maximum annual amount of EUR 186 million (in 2018 prices), as laid down in Article 8 of Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093 . Regulation (EU) 2021/691 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 290 000 for technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission.

Technical assistance to be funded and breakdown of estimated costs (administration support - EUR 190 000 and technical support - EUR 100 000)

The Covid-19 pandemic not only disturbed the delivery of EGF cases, but also caused uncertainty as concerns general operations, in particular events that would require physical presence. Thus in 2021, the Commission did not request technical assistance support. The proposal for 2022 is adapted to the current situation.

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 2022 remains available. The proposed amount corresponds to 0.14 % of the maximum annual budget available for the EGF in 2022.

The proposed decision to mobilise the EGF will be taken jointly by the European Parliament and the Council, as laid down in point 9 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 16 December 2020 between the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management, as well as on new own resources, including a roadmap towards the introduction of new own resources.

At the same time as it presents this proposal for a decision to mobilise the EGF, the Commission will present to the European Parliament and to the Council a proposal for a transfer to the relevant budgetary line for the amount of EUR 290 000.

Appropriations from the EGF budget line will be used to cover the amount of EUR 290 000 needed for technical assistance.

PURPOSE: to mobilise the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (Technical Assistance at the initiative of the Commission).

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

CONTENT: the objectives of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for displaced workers (EGF) are to demonstrate solidarity and promote decent and sustainable employment in the EU by supporting redundant workers and self-employed persons whose activity has ceased in the case of major restructuring events and assisting them in returning to decent and sustainable employment as soon as possible.

The annual allocation to the EGF should not exceed a maximum of EUR 186 million (in 2018 prices). Regulation (EU) 2021/691 provides that a maximum of 0.5% of the maximum annual allocation to the EGF may be spent each year on technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission.

The COVID-19 pandemic not only disrupted the implementation of the EGF interventions, but also created uncertainty in the overall functioning, in particular of those activities that required a physical presence. Therefore, in 2021, the Commission did not request support for technical assistance. The proposal for 2022 is adapted to the current situation.

It is proposed that the EGF be mobilised to provide an amount of EUR 290 000 in commitment and payment appropriations to be allocated to technical assistance on the initiative of the Commission.

Technical assistance to be funded and estimated cost breakdown (administrative expenditure: EUR 190 000; technical expenditure: EUR 100 000)

Administrative support includes meetings of the EGF contact persons expert group, the organisation of a seminar with the participation of the EGF implementing bodies and social partners, information actions to raise public awareness of the EGF and enhance its visibility, while technical support includes the maintenance and updating of an electronic data exchange system, as well as the monitoring and collection of data on applications received, paid and wound up and on measures proposed and implemented.

Funding

Currently, the full amount for 2022 is still available. The proposed amount corresponds to 0.14% of the maximum amount of the annual budget available for the EGF in 2022.

The proposed decision to mobilise the EGF will be taken jointly by the European Parliament and the Council, as foreseen in the Interinstitutional Agreement of 16 December 2020 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline, cooperation in budgetary matters and sound financial management, and on new own resources, including a roadmap for the establishment of new own resources.

At the same time as it presents this proposal for a decision to mobilise the EGF, the Commission will present to the European Parliament and to the Council a proposal for a transfer to the relevant budgetary line for the amount of EUR 290 000.

Appropriations from the EGF budget line will be used to cover the amount of EUR 290 000 needed for technical assistance.