Mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund: technical assistance

The European Parliament adopted by 580 votes to 61, with 67 abstentions, a resolution approving the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) to provide EUR 610 000 in commitment and payment appropriations for technical assistance under the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2019.

As a reminder, the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) aims to provide support for workers made redundant and self-employed persons whose activities have ceased as a result of major structural changes in world trade patterns due to globalisation, as a result of a continuation of the global financial and economic crisis, or as a result of a new global financial and economic crisis, and to assist them with their reintegration into the labour market.

The proposed amount of EUR 610 000 corresponds to approximately 0.35% of the maximum amount of the annual budget available for the EGF in 2019.

In its resolution, Parliament reiterated the importance of monitoring and data gathering and of a website dedicated to the EGF and accessible to all citizens of the Union. It welcomed the continued work on the establishment standardised procedures for EGF applications and management with a view to simplifying the processing of applications for assistance and improving reporting.

Members noted the Commission's intention to invest EUR 190 000 of the available budget under the administrative and technical support in holding two meetings of the Expert Group of Contact Persons of the EGF (one member from each Member State) and two seminars with the participation of the implementing bodies of the EGF and social partners.

The Commission was called on to continue to systematically invite Parliament to those meetings and seminars in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Framework Agreement on relations between Parliament and the Commission.

Parliament underlined the need to further enhance the liaising between all those involved in EGF applications, including, in particular, the social partners and stakeholders at regional and local level, to create as many synergies as possible.

It welcomed a timely start of the ex-post evaluation for which the Commission intends to invest EUR 300 000 of the available budget.

Lastly, it reminded applicant Member States of their key role in widely publicising the actions funded by EGF to the targeted beneficiaries.