27.7.2016   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 274/43

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having regard to the Commission proposal to the European Parliament and the Council (COM(2014)0560 — C8-0141/2014),

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having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1309/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 on the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (2014-2020) and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1927/2006 (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 the 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 letter of the Committee on Regional Development,

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having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgets (A8-0016/2014),

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 the adoption of the EGF Regulation 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,

D.

whereas France submitted application EGF/2014/006 FR/PSA for a financial contribution from the EGF, following 6 120 redundancies in Peugeot Citroën Automobiles (hereafter ‘PSA’) operating in the NACE Rev. 2 division 29 (‘Manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers’) with redundancies mainly located in the regions of Ile de France (the Aulnay plant) and Bretagne (the Rennes plant), with 2 357 workers targeted for EGF co-funded measures, during the reference period from 1 October 2013 to 31 January 2014,

E.

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

F.

whereas the concerned sites can undergo important industrial conversion, namely the site in Aulnay-sous-Bois, which, if allowed to fully exploit its potential in multimodal transport, could allow a substantial redeployment of workers;

G.

whereas the local authorities in the Bretagne region were not involved in setting up the personalised services to the affected workers, even though they are in charge of vocational training; whereas the local trade union representatives of the main sites concerned were not associated to the negotiation of the measures,

1.

Agrees with the Commission that the conditions set out in Article 4(1)(a) of the EGF Regulation are met and that, therefore, France is entitled to a financial contribution under that Regulation;

2.

Notes that the French authorities submitted the application for EGF financial contribution on 25 April 2014, and that its assessment was made available by the Commission on 10 September 2014; welcomes the speedy evaluation of less than five months;

3.

Considers that the redundancies in PSA are linked to major structural changes in world trade patterns due to globalisation, referring to the observation made by France (L'industrie Automobile Francaise, Analyse et statistiques 2013 (4)) that between the years 2000 and 2012, world production of vehicles grew by 44 % while in the same period production in Western Europe declined by 25 %, furthermore production in third countries (South Korea, China, Turkey, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Thailand and South America) grew significantly and now constitutes 47 % of world vehicle production (up from 15 % in 2000);

4.

Notes that 6 120 redundancies will further aggravate the unemployment situation in the regions of Ile de France and Bretagne, where two of the affected plants are located since the Aulnay plant was the 8th largest employer in the city of Aulnay, and the redundancies reduce the numbers employed in the area by 13,6 %;

5.

Notes that, to date, the automotive sector has been the subject of 21 EGF applications, 12 of which were based on trade related globalisation and 9 on the global financial and economic crisis; deems it necessary that particular attention be devoted to this sector in the biennial report due in August 2015;

6.

Notes that this is the third application related to the French car industry above EUR 10 million; stresses the importance of well anticipated adjustments and good identification of skills, offering the possibility of reorientation by putting the competences of workers to the benefit of other sectors;

7.

Welcomes the fact that, in order to provide workers with speedy assistance, the French authorities decided to initiate the implementation of the personalised services to the affected workers on 3 June 2013, well ahead of the final decision on granting the EGF support for the proposed coordinated package; regrets that despite this speedy implementation, the Commission had to assess this request without receiving the necessary information from the French authorities regarding pre-financing and national co-financing;

8.

Notes that the coordinated package of personalised services to be co-funded includes measures for workers made redundant such as reception centre and casework, external experts guidance, thematic workshops, training, training allowances, grants for business creation;

9.

Notes the fact that the coordinated package of personalised services has been drawn up in consultation with the national representatives of the targeted beneficiaries and the social partners and that a policy of equality of women and men as well as the principle of non-discrimination will be applied during the various stages of the implementation of and in access to the EGF;

10.

Regrets however the insufficient association of local political authorities and trade unions; suggests, in the framework of a future review of the EGF Regulation, including a formal consultation with the local political authorities and trade unions in the file containing the mobilisation request submitted by national authorities to the Commission; deems it necessary to better integrate the EGF to the reconversion programmes and processes of local economic fabrics;

11.

Welcomes the estimated high number of the participants to receive grants for business creation; notes that the amount of these grants remains under the cap of EUR 15 000, as set out in Article 7 of the EGF Regulation; calls for the timely assessment of this specific action in order to evaluate the results of such incentives, possibly in the next biennial report or at the latest in the final report;

12.

Appreciates the plan of awarding interest free loans for the creation of new businesses; notes that, in combination with the grants for business creation, this could provide substantial help to the participants for the creation of viable businesses; welcomes that the authorities are considering using the European Microfinance Facility for this purpose;

13.

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;

14.

Deplores the absence of funds devoted to EGF communication and promotion measures; considers that publicity and information around these actions plays an important role not only in attracting beneficiaries, but also in highlighting the Union's action in the social field;

15.

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 French 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 for the existing regulations and that no duplication of Union-funded services can occur;

16.

Appreciates the improved procedure put in place by the Commission following the Parliament's request for the accelerated release of grants; notes the time pressure that the new timetable implies and the potential impact on the effectiveness of case instruction;

17.

Notes that the application aims to utilise the maximum allowed 35 % of all costs for training allowances and that this action complements the allowances paid by the dismissing company in line with the provisions of the EGF Regulation;

18.

Recalls that, in line with Article 7 of the EGF Regulation, the design of the coordinated package of personalised services should anticipate future labour market perspectives and required skills and should be compatible with the shift towards a resource-efficient and sustainable economy;

19.

Stresses that, in accordance with Article 9 of the EGF Regulation, it shall be ensured that the EGF assistance is limited to what is necessary to provide solidarity and temporary one-off support for targeted beneficiaries, and will not furthermore replace actions which are the responsibility of companies by virtue of national law or collective agreements;

20.

Approves the decision annexed to this resolution;

21.

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;

22.

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