12.8.2016   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 294/57

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having regard to the Commission proposal to the European Parliament and the Council (COM(2014)0701 — C8-0247/2014),

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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 (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 (A8-0065/2014),

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 to the IIA of 2 December 2013 in respect of the adoption of decisions to mobilise the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF),

C.

whereas the adoption of Regulation (EU) No 1309/2013 (4) 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 the 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/2013/014 FR/Air France for a financial contribution from the EGF, following 5 213 redundancies, with 3 886 persons expected to participate in the measures, during and after the reference period from 1 July 2013 to 31 October 2013, linked to a decline in the Union's market share in air transport,

E.

whereas the application fulfils the eligibility criteria laid down in the EGF Regulation,

1.

Notes that the conditions set out in Article 2(a) of the EGF Regulation are met; therefore agrees with the Commission that France is entitled to a financial contribution under that Regulation;

2.

Notes that the French authorities submitted the application for EGF financial contribution on 20 December 2013, supplemented it by additional information up to 24 July 2014 and that its assessment was made available by the Commission on 11 November 2014;

3.

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 6 November 2012, well ahead of the decision and even the application on the granting of EGF support for the proposed coordinated package;

4.

Considers that the redundancies in Air France are linked to major structural changes in world trade patterns due to globalisation, with the Union market share in air transport falling, notably in the face of a spectacular rise of three major companies in the Persian Gulf, a trend which is aggravated by the global financial and economic crisis;

5.

Notes that the redundancies at Air France are expected to have a negative impact on the Île-de-France region, which is also faced with another mass redundancy as the Peugeot Citroën Automobile (PSA) production plant in Aulnay is being closed entirely in 2014;

6.

Notes that the coordinated package of personalised services to be co-funded includes the following measures for the reintegration of 3 886 redundant workers into employment: advisory services and vocational guidance for workers, training, contributions to business creation, regular information and communication activities, redeployment allowances, mobility allowances;

7.

Welcomes the amount of EUR 21 580 020 devoted to the redeployment allowance which will be paid until the end of the ‘congé de reclassement’ and amounts to 70 % of the worker's last gross salary; notes the fact that Regulation (EU) No 1309/2013 limits the share of such allowances to 35 % of the total EGF amount mobilised for a given case but stresses that France submitted the application in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 546/2009 (5), which applies to applications submitted until the end of 2013 and which allows for a much more generous use of funds for specific allowances, such as redeployment allowances and contributions to business creation;

8.

Opposes the use of the EGF as a way to funding redundancies; advocates that this fund should be used to assist the reintegration of workers into the labour market;

9.

Recalls that funds should help the reintegration of beneficiaries into the labour market instead of providing them with salary replacement after being dismissed; notes that this purpose can be much better achieved through the provisions of Regulation (EU) No 1309/2013 which is currently in force;

10.

Welcomes the fact that the co-ordinated package of personalised services has been drawn up in consultation with the representatives of the targeted beneficiaries and the social partners: training, advisory services for workers, contributions to business creation, redeployment allowances, mobility allowances;

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.

Notes with regret that the majority of redundant workers are aged between 55 and 64 years; welcomes the differentiated incentive within the business creation contribution measure to recruit workers aged above 55;

13.

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;

14.

Notes that the information provided on the coordinated package of personalised services to be funded from the EGF does not include information on complementarity with actions funded by the Structural Funds but refers to a written agreement with the dismissing enterprise to the effect that, in implementing the measures described above, it will not also receive financial contributions from other Union financial instruments for the same measures; 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;

15.

Approves the decision annexed to this resolution;

16.

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;

17.

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