EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Brussels, 20.1.2026
COM(2026) 1 final
2026/0004(BUD)
Proposal for a
DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL
on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers following an application from Belgium – EGF/2025/004 BE/ Tupperware
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL
1.The rules applicable to financial contributions from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers (EGF) are laid down in 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 .
2.On 28 August 2025, Belgium submitted an application EGF/2025/004 BE/Tupperware for a financial contribution from the EGF, following displacements in Tupperware General Services NV in Belgium.
3.Following its assessment of this application, the Commission has concluded, in accordance with all applicable provisions of Regulation (EU) 2021/691, that the conditions for awarding a financial contribution from the EGF are met.
SUMMARY OF THE APPLICATION
|
EGF application |
EGF/2025/004 BE/Tupperware |
|
Member State |
Belgium |
|
Region(s) concerned (NUTS 2 level 2) |
Provincie Oost-Vlaanderen (BE23) |
|
Date of submission of the application |
28 August 2025 |
|
Date of acknowledgement of receipt of the application |
28 August 2025 |
|
Date of request for additional information |
10 October 2025 |
|
Deadline for provision of the additional information |
31 October 2025 |
|
Deadline for the completion of the assessment |
21 January 2026 |
|
Intervention criterion |
Article 4(2)(a), of Regulation (EU) 2021/691 |
|
|
Tupperware General Services NV |
|
Sector(s) of economic activity (NACE Revision 2 division) 3 |
Division 22 (Manufacture of rubber and plastic products) |
|
Reference period (four months): |
17 February 2025 – 17 June 2025 |
|
Number of displacements during the reference period (a) |
267 |
|
Total number of eligible beneficiaries |
267 |
|
Total number of targeted beneficiaries |
267 |
|
Budget for personalised services (EUR) |
1 843 500 |
|
Budget for implementing EGF 4 (EUR) |
65 500 |
|
Total budget (EUR) |
1 909 000 |
|
EGF contribution (85 %) (EUR) |
1 622 650 |
ASSESSMENT OF THE APPLICATION
Procedure
4.Belgium submitted application EGF/2025/004 BE/Tupperware within 12 weeks of the date on which the intervention criteria set out in Article 4 (2)(a) of Regulation (EU) 2021/691 were met, on 28 August 2025. The Commission acknowledged receipt of the application the same date. The Commission was in possession of the translation of the application on 26 September 2025 and requested additional information from Belgium on 10 October 2025. Such additional information was provided within 15 working days of the request. The deadline of 50 working days of the receipt of the complete application within which the Commission should finalise its assessment of the application's compliance with the conditions for providing a financial contribution expires on 21 January 2026.
Eligibility of the application
Enterprises and beneficiaries concerned
5.The application relates to 267 displaced workers whose activity has ceased in Tupperware General Services NV. This enterprise operated in the economic sector classified under the NACE Revision 2 division 22 (Manufacture of rubber and plastic products). The redundancies located in the NUTS 2 region of Provincie Oost-Vlaanderen (BE23).
Intervention criteria
6.Belgium submitted the application under the intervention criteria of Article 4(2), point (a) of Regulation (EU) 2021/691, which requires the cessation of activity of at least 200 displaced workers over a reference period of four months in an enterprise in a Member State, including workers displaced in suppliers and downstream producers and / or self-employed persons whose activity has ceased.
7.The reference period of four months for the application runs from 17 February 2025 to 17 June 2025.
8.There were 267 displaced workers in Tupperware General Services NV during the reference period.
Calculation of displacements and of cessation of activity
9.Pursuant to Article 6, first paragraph, point (a), in conjunction with Article 5, first paragraph of Regulation (EU) 2021/691, the cessation of activities of the 267 displaced workers during the reference period has been calculated from the date of the de facto termination of the contract of employment or its expiry.
Eligible beneficiaries
10.The total number of eligible beneficiaries is 267.
Description of the events that led to the displacements and cessation of activity
11.The American corporation Tupperware Brands, parent company of Tupperware Belgium, unexpectedly revoked the manufacturing and sales licenses granted to Tupperware General Services NV, rendering the Belgian subsidiary of Tupperware financially inviable and leading to its bankruptcy on 17 February 2025.
12.In October 2024, Tupperware Brands was taken over by creditors. The acquisition led to a significant restructuring, with the company withdrawing from some non-core markets and closing facilities, such as the European plants..
Expected impact of the displacements as regards the local, regional or national economy and employment
13.In Belgium, bankruptcies are on the rise since 2022. In 2024, more than 11 000 enterprises were declared bankrupt (6 323 in Flanders), the highest number since 2013 5 . This uptrend has continued: between January and September 2025, 8 493 enterprises went bankrupt of which 4 964 or 58% in Flanders 6 . As a result of bankruptcies, 32 566 jobs were lost in Belgium in 2024 and 15 351 in the first half of 2025, of which the job losses in Flanders represent 59% and 51% respectively 7 . About 18% of the job losses happened in the industry.
14.Furthermore, recent restructuring events such as the displacements at Van Hool 8 , Sappi and Purmo 9 , BelGaN 10 , Casa and Audi 11 for which Belgium applied for EGF support, are affecting the Flemish labour market: job openings in the industry have declined.
15.Tupperware was in Aalst, one of the six administrative districts of the Province of East Flanders. East Flanders saw a decline in the number of vacancies reported to the public employment services by 13,8% in May 2025 year on year. Furthermore, before the closure of Tupperware, Aalst was already struggling with the lowest employment rate of Flanders, 53,82% 12 , which is 20 percentage points lower than Flanders' average employment rate (74,1%).
16.The unemployment rate in Flanders is around 3,8%. However, it rises to 8,8% 13 (+5 percentage points) among people with low levels of education. Since one in three former Tupperware workers has a low level of education, specific support tailored to these profiles is needed to help workers overcome their shortcomings and find new jobs.
Application of the EU Quality Framework for anticipation of change and restructuring (QFR)
17.Belgium has described how the recommendations set out in the EU Quality Framework for anticipation of change and restructuring have been taken into account.
18.Belgium has reported that national labour law 14 on the active management of restructuring requires enterprises undergoing restructuring to set up an employment unit, whose purpose is to provide workers laid off in the context of collective redundancies with 30 hours of outplacement services in a period of three months (60 hours in six months for workers aged 45+). However, this legal obligation does not apply in the event of bankruptcy. Therefore, the outplacement measure described below in paragraph 24 replaces the counseling and outplacement services that these displaced workers do not receive.
19.Regarding the activities undertaken to assist the displaced workers, Belgium has reported that information and registration sessions, and outplacement services to support former Tupperware workers were launched on 19 March 2025, one month after the bankruptcy declaration. The job-search event (‘job fair’) described below took place on 19 June 2025 in Aalst.
Complementarity with actions funded by national or Union funds
20.Belgium has confirmed that the measures described below receiving a financial contribution from the EGF will not also receive financial contributions from other Union financial instruments.
21.The coordinated package of personalised services complements actions funded by other national or EU funds.
Procedures for consulting the targeted beneficiaries or their representatives or the social partners as well as local and regional authorities
22.Belgium has indicated that the co-ordinated package of personalised services has been drawn up in consultation with experts, including some members of the taskforce, and the social partners, in compliance with Article 7(4) of Regulation (EU) 2021/691. The final package of measures was agreed with the trade unions General Confederation of Liberal Trade Unions of Belgium (ACLVB) 15 , General Labour Federation of Belgium (ACCG) 16 , and Confederation of Christian Trade Unions ACV 17 on 24 June 2025.
Targeted beneficiaries and proposed measures
Targeted beneficiaries
23.All 267 displaced workers are expected to participate in the measures. Pursuant to Article 8(7), point (f), of Regulation (EU) 2021/691, the provided breakdown of these workers by gender, age group and educational level is as follows:
|
Category |
Number of
|
||
|
Gender: |
Men: |
168 |
(62,9 %) |
|
Women: |
99 |
(37,1 %) |
|
|
Non-binary |
0 |
(0,0 %) |
|
|
Age group: |
Below 30 years: |
10 |
(3,8 %) |
|
30-54 years: |
131 |
(49,0 %) |
|
|
Over 54 years: |
126 |
(47,2 %) |
|
|
Educational level |
Lower secondary education or less 18 |
88 |
(33,0 %) |
|
106 |
(39,7 %) |
||
|
Tertiary education 21 |
73 |
(27,3 %) |
|
Proposed measures
24.Pursuant to Article 8(7), point (h) of Regulation (EU) 2021/691, the personalised coordinated package to be provided to displaced workers consists of the following measures:
–Taskforce: Account managers with in-depth knowledge of the local labour market, and consultants experienced in providing guidance in collective redundancies processes, will organise and run the information sessions, define together with the workers personalised paths for reintegration into employment and re-adjust them, if need be. The taskforce has the support of a team of experts in European projects.
–Outplacement: Outplacement services provided in group or individual sessions include, among other things, an initial interview and individual guidance, certification of acquired skills, guidance on using the VDAB's "My Career" (Mijn Loopbaan) digital platform for job searching, as well as guidance before, during, and after the job fair described below.
Digitally illiterates will receive basic ICT training and additional support through digibanks, where workers can borrow a laptop, receive training on how to use it and get answers to their digital questions. Webinars and other online tools, such as 123digit.be, will help those who already have some digital skills to improve them.
–Assistance in finding a job: The assistance begins with sessions to assess whether jobseekers meet labour market demands and whether their job search is realistic. Subsequently, workers receive support focused on preparing them for future job applications, helping them write compelling resumes and cover letters, strengthening their self-confidence, and practising how to perform successfully in job interviews.
–Guidance: The orientation services include guidance, search for job openings and job placement (that is connecting job seekers with suitable employment opportunities by matching candidates' skills and goals with employers' needs), digital skills assessment, help with individual job search using digital tools, and mental support. These services are provided through a voucher scheme to ensure workers’ freedom of choice. VDAB counsellors, after assessing the workers’ individual needs, set the intensity of the service to be received that ranges between intensive and very intensive.
–Reinforced job-search assistance: This comprises individual and collective coaching sessions with a vocational mediator, support to apply and prepare job interviews, peer-to-peer coaching, and visits to enterprises with recruiting needs.
–Training and retraining: Workers are coached in specific learning paths designed to improve their technical and digital skills, and to develop skills related to areas experiencing labour shortages or to the green transition. Upon agreement of individual projects with the vocational counsellor, workers will be offered targeted training to cater for the identified needs. They will also have access to a wide range of training, including those provided by VDAB or by training providers.
–Training at the workplace: Workers receive on-the-job training at the enterprise that will employ them after training. The employment contract is either permanent or fixed term for at least the same duration as the training.
–Job fair: This recruitment event helps put together jobseekers and employers that seek to fill their vacancies. Before attending the event, counselling sessions help to prepare the meeting with potential employers.
–Job-scouting and job-matching: A dedicated team will scout out for job vacancies before they are posted and help suitable candidates among former Tupperware workers apply for these positions. Job-search events will be organised at VDAB premises quarterly. The events enable participants to interact with local and regional employers, explore job openings, and understand entry pathways.
25.The ICT training and additional support foreseen within the outplacement services caters for the dissemination of the skills required in the digital industrial age and in a resource-efficient economy, as required by Article 7(2) of Regulation (EU) 2021/691.
26.The proposed actions, here described, constitute active labour market policy measures within the eligible actions set out in Article 7 of Regulation (EU) 2021/691. These actions do not substitute passive social protection measures.
27.Belgium has provided the required information on measures that are mandatory for the enterprise concerned by virtue of national law or pursuant to collective agreements. In accordance with Article 9(1) of Regulation (EU) 2021/691, Belgium has confirmed that a financial contribution from the EGF will not replace such measures.
Estimated budget
28.The estimated total costs are EUR 1 909 000, comprising expenditure for personalised services of EUR 1 843 500 and expenditure for preparatory, management, information and publicity, control and reporting activities of EUR 65 500.
29.The total financial contribution requested from the EGF is EUR 1 622 650 (85 % of total costs).
30.Pursuant to Article 8(7), point (m), of Regulation (EU) 2021/691, Belgium has specified that the national pre-financing and co-funding is provided by VDAB.
|
Measures |
Estimated number of participants |
Estimated cost per participant
|
Estimated total costs (EUR) 23 |
|
Personalised services (measures under Article 7(2), second subparagraph, point (a), of Regulation (EU) 2021/691) |
|||
|
Taskforce |
267 |
843 |
225 000 |
|
Outplacement
|
150 |
2 512 |
376 736 |
|
Assistance in finding a job
|
100 |
1 550 |
155 000 |
|
Guidance
|
30 |
4 500 |
135 000 |
|
Reinforced job-search assistance
|
60 |
5 206 |
312 355 |
|
Training and retraining
|
65 |
6 874 |
446 809 |
|
Training at the workplace
|
10 |
960 |
9 600 |
|
|
44 |
8 |
350 |
|
Job scouting and job matching
|
60 |
3 044 |
182 650 |
|
Sub-total (a): Percentage of the package of personalised services |
– |
1 843 500 |
|
|
(96,57 %) |
|||
|
Activities under Article 7(5) of Regulation (EU) 2021/691 |
|||
|
1. Preparatory activities |
– |
35 000 |
|
|
2. Management |
– |
3 000 |
|
|
3. Information and publicity |
– |
2 500 |
|
|
4. Control and reporting |
– |
25 000 |
|
|
Sub-total (b): Percentage of the total costs : |
– |
65 500 |
|
|
(3,43 %) |
|||
|
Total costs (a + b): |
– |
1 909 000 |
|
|
EGF contribution (85 % of total costs) |
– |
1 622 650 |
|
Period of eligibility of expenditure
31.Belgium started providing the personalised services to the targeted beneficiaries on 17 February 2025. The expenditure on the measures will therefore be eligible for a financial contribution from the EGF from 17 February 2025 until 24 months after the date of the entry into force of the Financing Decision.
32.Belgium started incurring the administrative expenditure to implement the EGF on 17 February 2025. The expenditure for preparatory, management, information and publicity, control and reporting activities shall therefore be eligible for a financial contribution from the EGF from 17 February 2025 until 31 months after the date of the entry into force of the Financing Decision.
Management and control systems
33.The application contains a description of the management and control system required under Article 23 of Regulation (EU) 2021/691, which specifies the responsibilities of the bodies involved. Belgium has notified the Commission that the financial contribution will be managed by VDAB. The payments will be made by VDAB’s financial service. The Department of Finance and Budget - Audit Unit of the Flemish Audit Authority for the European Structural Funds is the audit authority for the EGF.
Commitments provided by the Member State concerned
34.Belgium has provided all necessary assurances regarding the following:
–the principles of equality of treatment and non-discrimination will be respected in access to the proposed measures and their implementation,
–the requirements laid down in national and EU legislation concerning collective redundancies have been complied with,
–any double financing will be prevented,
–the financial contribution from the EGF will comply with the procedural and material Union rules on State aid.
BUDGETARY IMPLICATION
Budgetary proposal
35.The EGF shall not exceed a maximum annual amount of EUR 30 million (in 2018 prices), as laid down in Article 8 of Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093 of 17 December 2020 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2021 to 2027 24 amended by Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/765 of 29 February 2024 25 .
36.Having examined the application in respect of the conditions set out in Article 13(1) and (2) of Regulation (EU) 2021/691, and having taken into account the number of targeted beneficiaries, the proposed measures and the estimated costs, the Commission proposes to mobilise the EGF for the amount of EUR 1 622 650, representing 85 % of the total costs of the proposed measures, in order to provide a financial contribution for the application.
37.The proposed decision to mobilise the EGF will be taken jointly by the European Parliament and the Council pursuant to Article 15(1), first subparagraph, second sentence, of Regulation (EU) 2021/691 and, as laid down in point 9 of 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 26 .
Related acts
38.At the same time as it presents this proposal for a decision to mobilise the EGF, the Commission will present to the European Parliament and to the Council a proposal to transfer to the relevant budgetary line the amount of EUR 1 622 650.
39.At the same time as it adopted this proposal for a decision to mobilise the EGF, the Commission adopted a decision on a financial contribution that constitutes a financing decision within the meaning of Article 110 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 27 . That financing decision will enter into force on the date on which the Commission is notified of the approval of the budgetary transfer by the European Parliament and the Council pursuant to Article 15(2), first subparagraph, of Regulation (EU) 2021/691.
2026/0004 (BUD)
Proposal for a
DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL
on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers following an application from Belgium – EGF/2025/004 BE/ Tupperware
THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
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 28 , and in particular Article 15(1), first subparagraph, thereof,
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 29 , and in particular point 9 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,
Whereas:
(1)The European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers (EGF) aims to demonstrate solidarity and promote decent and sustainable employment in the Union by providing support for workers made redundant and self-employed persons whose activity has ceased in the case of major restructuring events and assisting them in returning to decent and sustainable employment as soon as possible.
(2)The EGF is not to exceed a maximum annual amount of EUR 30 million (in 2018 prices), as laid down in Article 8 of Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093 30 amended by Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/765 31 , and Article 16 of Regulation (EU) 2021/691.
(3)On 28 August 2025, Belgium submitted an application to mobilise the EGF in accordance with Article 8(1) of Regulation (EU) 2021/691, in respect of worker’s displacements in Tupperware General Services NV in Belgium. It was supplemented by additional information provided in accordance with Article 8(5) of Regulation (EU) 2021/691. That application is considered to comply with the conditions for providing a financial contribution from the EGF as laid down in Article 13 of Regulation (EU) 2021/691, on the basis of the assessment made by the Commission in the Proposal for a mobilisation decision of the European Parliament and of the Council 32 .
(4)The EGF should, therefore, be mobilised in order to provide a financial contribution of EUR 1 622 650 in respect of the application submitted by Belgium.
(5)In order to minimise the time taken to mobilise the EGF, this decision should apply from the date of its adoption,
HAVE ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
For the general budget of the Union for the financial year 2026, the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers shall be mobilised to provide the amount of EUR 1 622 650 in commitment and payment appropriations.
Article 2
This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. It shall apply from [the date of its adoption] 33*.
Done at Brussels,
For the European Parliament For the Council
The President
The President