1.

Agrees with the Commission that the conditions set out in Article 4(2), point (c), of the EGF Regulation are met and that Belgium is entitled to a financial contribution of EUR 704 135 under that Regulation, which represents 60 % of the total cost of EUR 1 173 559, comprising expenditure for personalised services of EUR 1 126 559 and expenditure for preparatory, management, information and publicity, control and reporting activities of EUR 47 000;

2.

Notes that the Belgian authorities submitted the application on 19 July 2024, and that, following the provision of additional information by Belgium, the Commission finalised its assessment on 5 November 2024 and notified it to Parliament on the same day;

3.

Notes that the application relates to 567 workers made redundant in the company Sappi Lanaken and 114 workers made redundant in Purmo Group Belgium; notes further that 632 workers will be targeted beneficiaries in total, almost exclusively men;

4.

Underlines that Lanaken’s and Zonhoven’s labour markets are at disadvantage when compared to Limburg as a whole or to Flanders with a ratio of the working population to available jobs significantly lower than in Limburg as a whole or in Flanders; highlights that the number of industrial jobs available in Limburg decreased by 15 % in 2023;

5.

Points out that the profiles of the displaced workers, one third of which are aged 55 years or more and 30 % are with low education, translate into severe barriers on the labour market; stresses that taking into account the downward trend in vacancies and its geographical distribution, the workers will need additional tailored support to help them succeed the transition to employment;

6.

Recalls that the Belgian authorities shall acknowledge the origin and ensure the visibility of the Union funding and highlight the Union added value of the intervention, by providing coherent, effective and targeted information to multiple audiences, including targeted information to beneficiaries, local and regional authorities, the social partners, the media and the public;

7.

Considers it as a social responsibility of the Union and Member States to provide the affected workers a possibility to obtain the necessary qualifications for future employment, considering the digital and ecological transition having a significant impact on their sectors whilst leading to a reduction of demand; welcomes the fact that the co-ordinated package of personalised services was drawn up by Belgium in consultation with targeted beneficiaries, their representatives and social partners;

8.

Stresses that the support provided by the EGF needs to be embedded in a larger strategy for the affected workers and the region, on all political levels, including by support of relevant funding instruments of the Union, with the aim to ensure that nobody gets left behind in the digital and climate transitions;

9.

Recalls that personalised services to be provided to the workers consist of the following actions: social intervention advisor, guidance, counselling, and vocational orientation, active job-search support, training, retraining and vocational training, including training in digital skills, as well as training at the workplace;

10.

Notes that Belgium started providing personalised services to the targeted beneficiaries on 26 December 2023 and that the period of eligibility for a financial contribution from the EGF will therefore be from that date until 24 months after the date of the entry into force of the financing decision;

11.

Notes that Belgium started incurring administrative expenditure to implement the EGF on 20 November 2023 and that such expenditure shall therefore be eligible for a financial contribution from the EGF from that date until 31 months after the date of the entry into force of the financing decision;

12.

Stresses that the Belgian authorities have confirmed that the principles of equality of treatment and non-discrimination will be respected in the access to the proposed actions and their implementation, and that any double financing will be prevented;

13.

Reiterates that assistance from the EGF must not replace actions which are the responsibility of companies, by virtue of national law or collective agreements, or any allowances or rights of the displaced workers, to ensure full additionality of the allocation; recalls that the Member States applying for funding support from the EGF must ensure that the requirements laid down in national and Union law concerning collective redundancies have been complied with and that the company concerned has provided for its workers accordingly;

14.

Calls on the Belgian authorities and other Member States to undertake the preventive measures in a proactive manner in order to adapt industries to the globalisation and of technological and environmental changes and protect workers from losing their jobs and other negative impact of the globalisation;

15.

Approves the decision annexed to this resolution;

16.

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;

17.

Instructs its President to forward this resolution, including its Annex, to the Council and the Commission;