23.12.2015   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 434/201

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having regard to the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2012)0620 — C7-0364/2012),

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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 (1) (IIA of 17 May 2006), 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 the 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 (A7-0415/2012),

A.

whereas the Union has set up the appropriate legislative and budgetary instruments to provide additional support to workers who are suffering as a result 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 broadened for applications submitted from 1 May 2009 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 has requested assistance for 1  106 redundancies, 500 of which are targeted for assistance, in 423 enterprises operating in the NACE Revision 2 Division 25 (Manufacture of fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment) (3) in the NUTS II region of País Vasco (ES21) in Spain,

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 Spain is therefore entitled to a financial contribution under that Regulation;

2.

Notes that the Spanish authorities submitted the application for EGF financial contribution on 28 December 2011 and that its assessment was made available by the Commission on 19 October 2012; regrets the lengthy evaluation period of 10 months;

3.

Welcomes the fact that in order to provide workers with immediate assistance, the Spanish authorities decided to start the implementation of the measures on 19 March 2012 , ahead of the final decision about granting EGF support for the proposed coordinated package;

4.

Notes that the Spanish authorities have reported in their assessment, based on experience with previous EGF applications, that only 500 of the dismissed workers have chosen to participate in EGF supported measures; calls on the Spanish authorities to use the EGF support to its full potential;

5.

Recalls the importance of improving the employability of all workers by means of adapted training and the recognition of skills and competences gained throughout workers' professional careers; expects the training on offer in the coordinated package to be adapted not only to the level and needs of the dismissed workers, but also to the actual business environment;

6.

Emphasises the fact that lessons should be learned from the preparation and implementation of this application and other applications which address mass dismissals;

7.

Welcomes the fact that the measures were designed in consultation with social partners and that the regional authorities, business representatives and the trade unions formed a special committee which was responsible for the coordination, management and implementation of the EGF project;

8.

Requests that the institutions involved make the necessary efforts to improve procedural and budgetary arrangements to accelerate the mobilisation of the EGF; appreciates the improved procedure put in place by the Commission, following Parliament's request for accelerating the release of grants, aimed at presenting the Commission's assessment on the eligibility of an EGF application, together with the proposal to mobilise the EGF, to the budgetary authority; hopes that further improvements in the procedure will be integrated in the new Regulation on the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (2014–2020) and that greater efficiency, transparency and visibility of the EGF will be achieved;

9.

Regrets that information about the training measures in the Commission proposal does not describe in which sectors the workers are likely to find employment and if the package will be adapted to the future economic prospects in the region;

10.

Recalls the institutions’ commitment to ensure a smooth and rapid procedure for the adoption of the decisions on the mobilisation of the EGF, providing one-off, time-limited individual support which is geared towards to helping workers who have been made redundant as a result of globalisation and the financial and economic crisis; emphasises the role that the EGF can play in the reintegration of workers made redundant into the labour market;

11.

Regrets that the measures supporting entrepreneurship do not provide for financial support for workers to set up own business, yet several financial incentives are offered for workers following training measures;

12.

Stresses that, in accordance with Article 6 of the EGF Regulation, it should be ensured that the EGF supports the reintegration of individual redundant workers into employment; further stresses that the EGF assistance can only co-finance 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;

13.

Welcomes the fact that a comprehensive package of information and publicity activities accompanies the EGF supported project;

14.

Notes that the information provided about the coordinated package of personalised services to be funded from the EGF includes information about how it complements actions funded by the Structural Funds; 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;

15.

Welcomes the fact that, following requests from Parliament, the 2012 budget shows payment appropriations of EUR 5 0 0 00  000 on the EGF budget line 04 05 01; recalls that the EGF was created as a separate specific instrument, with its own objectives and deadlines and therefore deserves a dedicated allocation, which will avoid transfers, to the extent possible, from other budget lines, as has happened in the past, which could be detrimental to the achievement of the policy objectives of the EGF;

16.

Regrets the decision of the Council to block the extension of the ‘crisis derogation’, 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, and allows for an increase in the rate of Union co-financing to 65 % of the programme costs, for applications submitted after the 31 December 2011 deadline, and calls on the Council to reintroduce this measure without delay;

17.

Approves the decision annexed to this resolution;

18.

Instructs its President to sign the decision with the President of the Council and to 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.