28.6.2016   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 234/57

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having regard to the Commission proposal to the European Parliament and the Council (COM(2014)0478 – C8-0115/2014),

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having regard to Regulation (EC) No 1927/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 on establishing the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (1) (EGF Regulation),

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having regard to Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1311/2013 of 2 December 2013 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2014-2020 (2), and in particular Article 12 thereof,

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having regard to 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 (3) (IIA of 2 December 2013), and in particular point 13 thereof,

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having regard to trilogue procedure provided for in point 13 of the IIA of 2 December 2013,

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having regard to the letter of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs,

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having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgets (A8-0007/2014),

A.

whereas the Union has set up legislative and budgetary instruments to provide additional support to workers who are suffering from the consequences of major structural changes in world trade patterns and to assist their reintegration into the labour market;

B.

whereas the Union’s financial assistance to workers made redundant should be dynamic and made available as quickly and efficiently as possible, in accordance with the Joint Declaration of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission adopted during the conciliation meeting on 17 July 2008, and having due regard for the IIA of 2 December 2013 in respect of the adoption of decisions to mobilise the EGF;

C.

whereas Spain submitted application EGF/2013/010 ES/Castilla y Léon for a financial contribution from the EGF, following 587 redundancies, with 400 redundant workers expected to participate in the measures, in three enterprises operating in in the manufacture of wood and of products of wood and cork sector (4) in the NUTS II region of Castilla y León (ES41) in Spain during the reference period from 28 December 2012 to 28 September 2013;

D.

whereas the application fulfils the eligibility criteria set up by the EGF Regulation;

1.

Agrees with the Commission that the conditions set out in Article 2(b) of the EGF Regulation are met and that, therefore, Spain is entitled to a financial contribution under that Regulation;

2.

Notes that the Spanish authorities submitted the application for EGF financial contribution on 5 December 2013, and that its assessment was made available by the Commission on 22 July 2014;

3.

Considers that the redundancies in three enterprises operating in the manufacture of wood and of products of wood and cork sector in the NUTS II region of Castilla y León (ES41) are linked to major structural changes in world trade patterns due to globalisation, referring to the fact that the volume of the EU 27 exports of builders' joinery and carpentry of wood products decreased by 10,33 % during the period 2008-2011; notes that in the same period the decline in Spain was even higher, where the number of enterprises decreased by 28,8 %;

4.

Notes that the 587 redundancies in question have severely affected the local labour market with the unemployment rate rising from 8,2 % in the first quarter of 2008 to 22,70 % (5) in the first quarter of 2013; considers that the unemployment situation in the affected region seems particularly fragile given the extremely low population density in Soria, one of the two provinces affected by the redundancies, and the high dependency of the affected territory on wood sector due to its extremely low population density the redundancies in this region also have a serious impact on the local economy;

5.

Notes that it is estimated that a limited number of participants may receive an estimated amount of up to EUR 5 200 under the measure to promote entrepreneurship; points out that this estimated amount is made up of several amounts from different support measures;

6.

Welcomes the fact that, in order to provide workers with speedy assistance, the Spanish authorities decided to initiate the implementation of the personalised services to the affected workers on 1 February 2014, well ahead of the final decision on granting the EGF support for the proposed coordinated package;

7.

Notes that the coordinated package of personalised services to be co-funded includes measures for the reintegration of approximately 400 redundant workers into employment, such as welcome and information sessions, occupational guidance and counselling, intensive job-search assistance, training, promotion of entrepreneurship, incentives;

8.

Welcomes the fact that the former workers of Puertas Norma - the main dismissing enterprise, FAFECYL (6) and the social partners discussed the proposed application;

9.

Recalls the importance of improving the employability of all workers by means of adapted training and the recognition of skills and competences gained throughout a worker's professional career; expects the training on offer in the coordinated package to be adapted not only to the needs of the dismissed workers but also to the actual business environment;

10.

Notes that the information provided on the coordinated package of personalised services to be funded from the EGF includes information on complementarity with actions funded by the Structural Funds; stresses that the Spanish authorities confirm that the eligible actions do not receive assistance from other Union financial instruments; reiterates its call to the Commission to present a comparative evaluation of those data in its annual reports in order to ensure full respect of the existing regulations and that no duplication of Union-funded services can occur;

11.

Requests the institutions involved to make the necessary efforts to improve procedural arrangements in order to accelerate the mobilisation of the EGF; appreciates the improved procedure put in place by the Commission, following Parliament's request for the accelerated release of grants, aimed at presenting to the Parliament and the Council the Commission's assessment on the eligibility of an EGF application together with the proposal to mobilise the EGF; underlines that further improvements in the procedure have been integrated in the new EGF Regulation (7) and that greater efficiency, transparency and visibility of the EGF will be achieved;

12.

Stresses that, in accordance with Article 6 of the EGF Regulation, it shall be ensured that the EGF supports the reintegration of individual redundant workers into stable employment; stresses, furthermore, that EGF assistance can co-finance only active labour market measures which lead to durable, long-term employment; reiterates that assistance from the EGF must not replace actions which are the responsibility of companies by virtue of national law or collective agreements nor measures restructuring companies or sectors;

13.

Welcomes the adoption of the new EGF Regulation which reflects the agreement reached between the Parliament and the Council to reintroduce the crisis mobilisation criterion, to increase Union financial contribution to 60 % of the total estimated cost of proposed measures, to increase efficiency for the treatment of EGF applications in the Commission and by the Parliament and the Council by shortening time for assessment and approval, to widen eligible actions and beneficiaries by introducing self-employed persons and young people and to finance incentives for setting up own businesses;

14.

Approves the decision annexed to this resolution;

15.

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;

16.

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