24.11.2016   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 436/56

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having regard to the Commission proposal to the European Parliament and the Council (COM(2013)0635 — C7-0269/2013),

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having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline and sound financial management (IIA of 17 May 2006) (1), and in particular point 28 thereof,

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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 (2), (EGF Regulation)

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having regard to trilogue procedure provided for in point 28 of the IIA of 17 May 2006,

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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 (A7-0341/2013),

A.

whereas the European 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 scope of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) was temporarily broadened for applications submitted from 1 May 2009 to 31 December 2011 to include support for workers made redundant as a direct result of the global financial and economic crisis,

C.

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 17 May 2006 in respect of the adoption of decisions to mobilise the EGF,

D.

whereas Spain submitted application EGF/2013/004 ES/Comunidad Valenciana for a financial contribution from the EGF, following 630 redundancies in 140 enterprises operating in the NUTS II region of Comunidad Valenciana with 300 workers targeted for EFG co-funded measures, during the reference period from 14 June 2012 to 14 March 2013,

E.

whereas the application fulfils the eligibility criteria laid down 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 22 May 2013, and that its assessment was made available by the Commission on 16 September 2013; welcomes the speedy evaluation period of four months;

3.

Notes that Comunidad Valenciana has been severely affected by the crisis with unemployment rate reaching 29,19 % in the first quarter of 2013; welcomes the fact that the region avails itself yet again of EGF aid to address high unemployment;

4.

Congratulates Comunidad Valenciana on the capacity to apply for and use EGF to address problems of its labour market characterised by a high percentage of small and medium-sized enterprises; in this context recalls that Comunidad Valenciana region has already applied for the EGF support on four instances for the textile, ceramic and natural stone as well as construction sector (3);

5.

Considers that the redundancies in the 140 enterprises involved in manufacturing activities in the NUTS II region of Comunidad Valenciana (ES52) are linked to major structural changes in world trade patterns, which have led to an increase in imports into the Union of other non-metallic mineral products and to a reduction in the Union's share of production of other non-metallic mineral products at worldwide level;

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 22 August 2013, well ahead of the final decision on granting the EGF support for the proposed coordinated package;

7.

Notes that the Spanish authorities inform that in their assessment based on the experience with previous EGF applications, only 300 of the workers targeted for the EGF support will choose to participate in the measures; calls on the Spanish authorities to use the EGF support to its full potential, in particular for upskilling the workers with basic education, who make up 74,4 % of targeted workers;

8.

Notes that the coordinated package of personalised services to be co-funded includes measures for the reintegration of 300 redundant workers into employment such as profiling, occupational guidance, counselling, training, intensive job-search assistance, support towards entrepreneurship, incentives such as job search incentives, contribution to commuting expenses, outplacement incentives and support for setting up a business;

9.

Notes that the coordinated package foresees financial incentives for job-search (lump sum of EUR 300), mobility allowance (up to EUR 400), outplacement incentive (up to EUR 700); welcomes the fact that the overall amount of financial incentives is limited leaving the majority of the contribution to be spent on training, counselling, job search assistance and support towards entrepreneurship;

10.

Welcomes the fact that the social partners, and in particular the trade unions at local level (UGT-PV, CCOO-PV) and the non-profit organisation FESMAC, were consulted on the design of the measures of the coordinated EGF package, and that a policy of equality of women and men as well as the principle non-discrimination will be applied during the various stages of the implementation of and in access to the EGF;

11.

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;

12.

Welcomes the fact that the coordinated package includes vocational training focusing on sectors where opportunities exist or are likely to arise as well as contains up-skilling designed to the future needs of manufacturers in the sector concerned by redundancies;

13.

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;

14.

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 budgetary authority the Commission's assessment on the eligibility of an EGF application together with the proposal to mobilise the EGF; hopes that further improvements in the procedure will be integrated in the new Regulation on European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (2014-2020) and that greater efficiency, transparency and visibility of the EGF will be achieved;

15.

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;

16.

Welcomes the agreement reached in the Council on reintroducing in the EGF Regulation, for the period 2014-2020, the crisis mobilisation criterion, which allows for the provision of financial assistance to workers made redundant as a result of the current financial and economic crisis in addition to those losing their job because of changes in global trade patterns.

17.

Approves the decision annexed to this resolution;

18.

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;

19.

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