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having regard to the Commission proposal to the European Parliament and the Council (COM(2023)0202 — C9-0138/2023),

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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’),

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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), and in particular Article 8 thereof,

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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 (3) (‘Interinstitutional Agreement of 16 December 2020 ’), and in particular point 9 thereof,

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having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgets (A9-0195/2023),

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 Article 8(1) of Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093 sets the maximum annual amount for the EGF to EUR 186 million (in 2018 prices) and whereas Article 11(1) of the EGF Regulation provides that up to 0,5 % of that amount can be made available for technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission;

F.

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;

G.

whereas the proposed amount of EUR 190 000 corresponds to approximately 0,09 % of the maximum annual budget available for the EGF in 2023;