Mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund: redundancies in the retail trade sector in Greece

PURPOSE: to mobilise the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) to assist Greece facing redundancies in the retail sector.

NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Decision (EU) 2018/6 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund following an application from Greece — EGF/2017/003 GR/Attica retail.

CONTENT: with this Decision, the European Parliament and the Council mobilised EUR 2 949 150 in commitment and payment appropriations from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) under the 2017 budget.

This amount is granted in response to Greece's request on 13 April 2017 for EGF mobilisation in connection with redundancies in nine enterprises operating in the retail sector in the following regions of Greece: Attica, Eastern Macedonia, Thrace, Central Macedonia, Western Macedonia, Thessaly, Epirus, Western Greece, Central Greece, Peloponnese, Southern Aegean and Crete.

In accordance with Article 4(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1309/2013, the application from Greece is considered admissible since the redundancies have a serious impact on employment and the local, regional or national economy.

As a reminder, the EGF aims to provide support for workers made redundant and self-employed persons whose activity has 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. The EGF is not to exceed a maximum annual amount of EUR 150 million for the period 2014-2020.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 6.1.2018. In order to minimise delay for the mobilisation of the EGF, the decision applies from the date of its adoption, i.e. 12.12.2017.