22.12.2017   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 443/178

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having regard to the Commission proposal to the European Parliament and the Council (COM(2014)0119 — C7-0089/2014),

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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 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 report of the Committee on Budgets (A7-0261/2014),

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 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 Italy submitted application EGF/2012/007 IT/VDC Technologies for a financial contribution from the EGF, following 1 164 redundancies in VDC Technologies SpA and one supplier with 1 146 workers targeted for EFG co-funded measures, during the reference period from 26 February 2012 to 25 June 2012,

D.

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 2(a) of the EGF Regulation are met and that, therefore, Italy is entitled to a financial contribution under that Regulation;

2.

Notes that the Italian authorities submitted the application for EGF financial contribution on 31 August 2012 and regrets that its assessment was made available by the European Commission only on 5 March 2014; deplores the lengthy evaluation period of 19 months and believes that this delay contradicts the aim of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund to provide a quick aid to workers made redundant;

3.

Considers that the redundancies in VDC Technologies SpA and one supplier (manufacture of television sets, television monitors and displays as well as air-conditioning units) are linked to major structural changes in world trade patterns due to globalisation, referring to serious economic disruption for the sector of manufacture of electrical equipment due to intensified competition from third countries, particularly China;

4.

Recognises the need to draw lessons from numerous EGF applications based on globalisation criterion in a given sector in view of reforming the Union trade policy, both in terms of liberalisation and trade defence instruments;

5.

Notes that the 1 164 redundancies in question along with the 54 redundancies due to the same cause before and after the four-month reference period have a strong negative impact on the labour market and economic situation in the affected area located in the NUTS 3 level region ITI45 Frosinone and in the NUTS 2 level region ITI4 Lazio;

6.

Welcomes the fact that, in order to provide workers with speedy assistance, the Italian authorities decided to initiate the implementation of the personalised services to the affected workers on 30 November 2012, nine months before the EGF application submission and well ahead of the final decision on granting the EGF support for the proposed coordinated package;

7.

Notes that the coordinated package of personalised services to be co-funded includes measures for the reintegration of 1 146 redundant workers into employment such as occupational guidance/ skills assessment, training, service to individuals, support to entrepreneurship, recruitment bonus, participation allowance;

8.

Notes that almost 40 % of dismissed workers are older than 55 years; regrets that the package does not contain any specific measures targeting older workers;

9.

Points out that the package contains various types of financial allowances: allowance for workers living with persons who need care, mobility allowance, and participation allowance; points out to relatively high level of recruitment incentive (EUR 6 000 per worker) but welcomes the fact that this measure is conditioned upon offering a permanent contract or a fixed-term contract of 24 months to workers;

10.

Welcomes the fact that the coordinated package of personalised services was consulted with the social partners (trade unions CGIL USB, CISAL, CISL, UIL, UGL) and that a local support network was activated with the involvement of various local partners, 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 training is foreseen for every worker targeted by the EGF package; regrets however that the Commission proposal does not describe the areas and sectors in which the training will be offered;

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 Italian 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.

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;

15.

Welcomes the agreement reached between the European Parliament and the Council regarding the new EGF Regulation, for the period 2014-2020, 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 European Parliament and the Council by shortening 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;

16.

Approves the decision annexed to this resolution;

17.

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;

18.

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