28.6.2016   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 234/51

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having regard to the Commission proposal to the European Parliament and the Council (COM(2014)0456 – C8-0099/2014),

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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 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 (A8-0006/2014),

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 or are made redundant as a result of the global financial and economic crisis 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/2014/003 ES/Aragon food and beverage for a financial contribution from the EGF, following 904 redundancies in 661 enterprises operating in the NACE Rev. 2 Division 56 (Food and beverage service activities) (4) in the NUTS level 2 region of Aragón (ES24) with 280 workers targeted for EGF co-funded measures, during the reference period from 1 March 2013 to 1 December 2013;

D.

whereas the Spanish authorities argue that the major factor giving rise to the redundancies was the significant decrease in the consumption of food and beverage, particularly food-away-from-home, due to the downturn in the economy, the increase in tax revenues, particularly VAT and the decrease of salaries;

E.

whereas 65,36 % of the workers targeted by the measures are women and 34,64 % are men; whereas the vast majority (82,86 %) of the workers are between 25 and 54 years old; whereas 9,29 % of the workers are between 15 and 24 years old;

F.

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 4(1)(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 21 February 2014, supplemented it by additional information until 18 April 2014, and that its assessment was made available by the Commission on 10 July 2014; welcomes the speedy evaluation of five months;

3.

Considers that the redundancies in 661 enterprises operating in the NACE Rev. 2 Division 56 (Food and beverage service activities) are linked to global financial and economic crisis, referring to the fact that a decline in average income and a decrease in household consumption in Spain resulted in an overall shrinking demand for food and beverage services;

4.

Notes that out of the 904 eligible beneficiaries, only 280 are expected to participate in the proposed actions; expects that in regions with high unemployment rates the number of participants in training and retraining need to be higher;

5.

Notes that 904 redundancies will further aggravate the difficult unemployment situation in Aragon where the unemployment rate has increased rapidly, rising from 4,2 % in December 2007 to 18,4 % in December 2013;

6.

Notes that many companies have dismissed only one person;

7.

Welcomes the fact that the Spanish authorities began providing the personalised services to the targeted beneficiaries on 21 February 2014;

8.

Notes that following the redundancies in the construction and retail sectors in Aragón, Spain submitted applications for this region in May 2010 (5) and December 2011 (6) for financial contributions from the EGF;

9.

Notes that 100 participants can receive a wage subsidy of EUR 200 up to a period of 3 months to incentivise their return to employment; points out that the working contracts of these participants should provide favourable prospects even after the provision of wage subsidy is finished;

10.

Notes that the coordinated package of personalised services to be co-funded includes measures for workers made redundant such as guidance, counselling and job search; training and re-training, reintegration into employment and incentives;

11.

Notes that 20 participants can receive an employment incentive for self-employment of EUR 400 up to a period of 3 months; considers that this amount is too small and the period through which it is provided is too short to provide real incentives for starting up self-employment;

12.

Welcomes the fact that the coordinated package of personalised services has been drawn up in consultation with the trade unions Confederación Sindical de Comisiones Obreras-CC.OO Aragón and Unión General de Trabajadores-UGT Aragón; and the employers' organisations Confederación de Empresarios de Aragón-CREA and Confederación de la Pequeña y Mediana Empresa Aragonesa-CEPYME Aragón, and that the principles of equality of treatment and non-discrimination will be applied during the various stages of the implementation of and in access to the EGF;

13.

Notes that these allowances remain well below the maximum limit of 35 % of the total costs for the coordinated package of personalised services;

14.

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;

15.

Calls on the Spanish authorities to ensure that the selection of the recipients of allowances and incentives fully respects the principles of non-discrimination and equal opportunities;

16.

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;

17.

Calls on the Spanish authorities and the Commission to take every step necessary to verify that the actions financed are carried out in accordance with the principles of sound and efficient financial management;

18.

Appreciates the improved procedure put in place by the Commission, following Parliament's request for the accelerated release of grants; notes that the Commission finalised its assessment of the application’s compliance with the conditions for providing a financial contribution within 12 weeks of the receipt of the complete application;

19.

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;

20.

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;

21.

Notes that the total estimated costs of information and publicity actions is estimated at EUR 4 100; reminds of the importance of raising a better awareness about the EGF contribution and more visibility of the role of the Union in it;

22.

Approves the decision annexed to this resolution;

23.

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;

24.

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