REPORT on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers -[...]

MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers - EGF/2024/000 TA 2024 - Technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission

(COM(2024)0084 - C9 0042/2024 - 2024/0003(BUD))

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the Commission proposal to the European Parliament and the Council (COM(2024)0084 - C9-0042/2024),

- having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/691 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 April 2021 on the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers (EGF) and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1309/2013[1]("EGF Regulation"),

- having regard to Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093 of 17 December 2020 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2021-2027[2]as amended by Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/765[3], and in particular Article 8 thereof,

- having regard to 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[4], and in particular point 9 thereof,

- having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgets (A9-0173/2024),

A. whereas the Union has set up legislative and budgetary instruments to provide additional support to workers who are suffering from the consequences of globalisation and of technological and environmental changes, such as changes in world trade patterns, trade disputes, significant changes in the trade relations of the Union or the composition of the internal market and financial or economic crises, as well as the transition to a low-carbon economy, or as a consequence of digitisation or automation;

B. whereas the Union's assistance to displaced workers should be primarily directed at active labour market policy measures and personalised services that aim to reintegrate beneficiaries rapidly into decent and sustainable employment, while preparing them for a greener and more digital European economy, having due regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 16 December 2020 in respect of the adoption of decisions to mobilise the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers (EGF);

C. whereas the Union had first extended the scope of the EGF to provide financial support in case of any major restructuring event, and thus covering economic effects of the COVID-19 crisis;

D. whereas the adoption of the new EGF Regulation in 2021 further expanded the scope of the EGF to major restructuring events caused by the transition to a low-carbon economy or as a consequence of digitisation or automation, while also reducing the required threshold for the activation of the EGF from 500 dismissed workers to 200;

E. whereas the MFF revision reduces the maximum annual amount of the EGF from EUR 186 million to EUR 30 million (in 2018 prices), as laid down in Article 8 of Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093 as amended by Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/765; whereas the Commission should monitor EGF implementation and all Institutions should take any necessary measures to ensure that all justified requests for EGF support, as a manifestation of Union solidarity, can be met;

F. whereas Article 11(1) of the EGF Regulation provides that up to 0,5 % of that maximum amount can be made available for technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission;

G. whereas technical assistance may consist of technical and administrative expenditure for the implementation of the EGF, such as preparatory, monitoring, control, audit and evaluation activities, as well as data gathering, including in relation to corporate information technology systems, communication activities and those enhancing the EGF's visibility as a fund or with regard to specific projects and other technical assistance measures;

H. whereas the proposed amount of EUR 165 000 corresponds to approximately 0,49 % of the maximum annual budget available for the EGF in 2024;

1. Agrees with the mobilisation of EUR 165 000 and the measures proposed by the Commission to be financed as technical assistance in accordance with Article 11(1) and (4) as well as with Article 12(2), (3) and (4) of the EGF Regulation;

2. Welcomes 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;

3. Takes note that the Commission will use the available budget under the administrative support for holding meetings of the Expert Group of Contact Persons of the EGF (two members from each Member State) and one seminar with the participation of the implementing bodies of the EGF and social partners in order to promote networking among Member States; calls on the Commission 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.

4. Calls on the Commission to adapt the best practices which were developed during the times of the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular measures that can help to accelerate an inclusive green and digital transition and support core priorities of the Union, such as gender equality;

5. Underlines the need to further strengthen the general awareness and the visibility of the EGF; points to the fact that such goal can be pursued by featuring the EGF in various Commission publications and audio-visual activities as provided for in Article 11(1) of the EGF Regulation; welcomes in this context the maintenance of the dedicated website for the EGF and calls on the Commission to regularly update and expand it, in order to increase the visibility of the European solidarity demonstrated by the EGF to the general public and increase the transparency of Union action;

6. Reminds applicant Member States of their key role in widely publicising the actions funded by EGF to the targeted beneficiaries, local and regional authorities, social partners, the media and the general public, as set out in Article 12 of the EGF Regulation;

7. Approves the decision annexed to this resolution;

8. Instructs its President to sign the decision with the President of the Council and arrange for its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union;

9. Instructs its President to forward this resolution, including its annex, to the Council and the Commission.

ANNEX: DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers (EGF/2024/000 TA 2024 - Technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission)

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/691 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 April 2021 on the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers (EGF) and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1309/2013[5], and in particular Article 15(1), first subparagraph, thereof,

Having regard to 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[6], and in particular point 9 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

(1) The European Globalisation Adjustment 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.

(2) The EGF is not to exceed a maximum annual amount of EUR 30 million (in 2018 prices), as laid down in Article 8 of Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093[7].

(3) 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.

(4) This assistance is necessary to fulfill obligations in EGF implementation as imposed by Article 11 of the Regulation (EU) 2021/691, in particular concerning monitoring and data gathering as well as communication activities and those enhancing the EGF's visibility.

(5) The EGF should, therefore, be mobilised in order to provide the sum of EUR 165 000 for technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission.

HAVE ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

For the general budget of the Union for the financial year 2024, the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers shall be mobilised to provide the amount of EUR 165 000 in commitment and payment appropriations.

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Done at Brussels,

For the European Parliament For the Council

The President The President

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

I. Background

The European Globalisation Adjustment Fund has been created in order to provide additional assistance to workers suffering from the consequences of major structural changes in world trade patterns.

According to the provisions of Article 8(1) of Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 2020/2093 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2021-2027[8], as amended by Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/765 of 29 February 2024[9], the Fund may not exceed a maximum annual amount of EUR 30 million (2018 prices).

In accordance with point 9 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 16 December 2020, the Commission is required, following the positive assessment of an application, to submit a proposal to mobilise the Fund to the budgetary authority and to complement it with a corresponding request for transfer to the relevant budget lines.

II. The Commission's proposal

On 29 February 2024, the Commission adopted a new proposal for a decision on the mobilisation of the EGF.

It concerns the mobilisation of EUR 165 000 from the Fund, covering technical assistance for the Commission. The objective of the technical assistance is to finance technical and administrative expenditure for the implementation of the EGF, such as preparatory, monitoring, control, audit and evaluation activities, as well as data gathering, including in relation to corporate information technology systems, communication activities and those enhancing the EGF's visibility as a fund or with regard to specific projects and other technical assistance measures. According to Article 11(1) of the EGF Regulation, a maximum of 0.5% of the annual maximum amount of the EGF can be made available each year for technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission.

The requested amount of EUR 165 000 represents approximately 0.49% of the annual maximum amount of the EGF and is intended to cover the following activities:

1. Expert Group meetings: The Expert Group of Contact Persons of the EGF, with two members from each Member State, will be holding its regular meetings in 2024 (one virtual meeting and one in presence). The EP should be invited to attend the meetings according to current legislative framework.

2. Networking seminar: In addition, in order to promote networking among the Member States, the Commission will organise one seminar with the participation of the implementing bodies of the EGF and social partners. The EP should be invited to attend to the meetings according to current legislative framework.

3. Electronic data exchange system: The Commission is continuing its work on standardised procedures for EGF applications and case management, using the functionalities of the Shared Fund Management Common System (SFC). This allows applications under the EGF Regulation to be simplified, their processing sped up and various reports more easily extracted. The SFC interface is also facilitating the EGF financial operations. This includes in particular: (1) Maintenance of the SFC 2014-2020 application and final report modules for the closure of cases for the EGF 2014-2020; (2) Further development of the EGF 2021-2027 interface in SFC, in particular new functionalities and adjustments to align SFC with the requirements of the EGF Regulation 2021-2027.

4. Monitoring and data gathering: The Commission will collect data on applications received, funded and wound up, and measures proposed and implemented. This data will be made available on the website and compiled in appropriate form for future biennial reports.

III. Procedure

In order to mobilise the Fund, the Commission has submitted to the Budget Authority a transfer request for a global amount of EUR 165 000 in commitment appropriations from the EGF reserve (budget line 30 04 02), and EUR 165 000 in payment appropriations from the EGF operational line (16 02 02), to the EGF support expenditure budget line (16 01 01).

According to an internal agreement within the Parliament, the Employment and Social Affairs Committee and the Committee on Regional Policy should be associated to the process, in order to provide constructive support and contribute to the assessment of the applications from the Fund.

ANNEX: ENTITIES OR PERSONSFROM WHOM THE RAPPORTEUR HAS RECEIVED INPUT

The rapporteur declares under her exclusive responsibility that she did not receive input from any entity or person to be mentioned in this Annex pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure.

INFORMATION ON ADOPTION IN COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL IN COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

Key to symbols:

+ : in favour

- : against

0 : abstention