Mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund: technical assistance by the Commission in 2017

The European Parliament adopted by 579 votes to 104, with 16 abstentions, a resolution on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund to provide the sum of EUR 310 000 in commitment and payment appropriations for technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission (EGF/2017/000 TA 2017 - Technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission).

Parliament recalled that 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 or of the global financial and economic crisis and to assist their reintegration into the labour market.

It recalled that following the agreement reached between the Parliament and the Council on the EGF Regulation, 0.5 % of the total amount of the Funds (i.e. EUR 844 620 in 2017) can be made available for technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission in order to finance preparation, monitoring, data gathering and creation of a knowledge base, administrative and technical support, information and communication activities as well as audit, control and evaluation activities necessary to implement the EGF Regulation.

Therefore, the amount proposed EUR 310 000 corresponds to approximately 0.18 % of the maximum annual budget available for the EGF in 2017, which is EUR 70 000 less that in 2016.

While welcoming the reduction compared to the previous year, Parliament recalled the importance of setting up a dedicated website on the EGF to be accessible to all Union citizens as well as multilingualism when communicating broadly to the public.

Parliament also took note that the Commission intends to invest EUR 70 000 of the available budget under the technical assistance in holding two meetings of the Expert Group of Contact Persons of the EGF. It noted the Commission’s intention to invest EUR 120 000 in order to promote networking through seminars among Member States, EGF implementing bodies and social partners.

While welcoming the fact that the Commission invited Members of its EGF Working Group to participate in the recent EGF Networking Seminar that took place in Mons, Parliament called on the Commission to continue with these information mechanisms.

The European Parliament accepted the measures proposed by the Commission to be financed from the Fund and decided to approve the proposal for a decision annexed to the resolution and to mobilise EUR 310 000 in commitment and payment appropriations under the EGF, within the framework of the EU budget for 2017.