Mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund: application EGF/2025/007 BE/Casa – Belgium
The European Parliament adopted by 575 votes to 48, with 10 abstentions, a resolution on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers following an application from Belgium – EGF/2025/007 BE/Casa.
Parliament approved the proposal for a decision to mobilise the EGF to provide a financial contribution of EUR 1 916 733 in commitment and payment appropriations to the Union budget for the financial year 2026 in respect of workers’ displacements in Casa International NV (retail trade).
This contribution represents 85 % of the total cost of EUR 2 254 980, comprising expenditure for personalised services of EUR 2 168 980 and expenditure for preparatory, management, information and publicity, control and reporting activities of EUR 86 000.
Events leading to the displacements
Belgium submitted application EGF/2025/007 BE/Casa for a financial contribution from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) following 416 displacements in Casa International NV (retail trade) in the economic sectors classified under the NACE Revision 2 division 47 (Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles) and Division 52 (Warehousing and support activities for transportation) in the region of Province of Antwerp (BE21), Flanders within a reference period from 6 March 2025 to 6 July 2025.
Casa experienced financial difficulties for several years prior to the bankruptcy declaration, stemming from the growing prevalence of e-commerce, heightened international competition and unfair competitive conditions, which ultimately resulted in severe liquidity shortages and the inability to identify potential purchasers for the company.
Beneficiaries
The report stressed that women represent 67.5 % of the workforce concerned in this case. Therefore, support measures under the EGF should take into account the specific needs and barriers faced by those women in re-entering the labour market.
Members called on Belgian authorities to provide specific support tailored to these profiles to help workers overcome their shortcomings and find new jobs, while taking measures to reduce bankruptcies and address social disparities leading to exclusion of the work force.
Personalised services
Members welcomed the fact that the personalised services to be provided to workers include the following measures: info-sessions for guidance on work reintegration; outplacement services to guide workers in their job searching; active mediation focusing on each jobseeker’s profile; personalised programmes for skills development, including IT skills; training and retraining; individual training at the workplace; participation at job fair; emphasises the importance of fostering high-quality, future-oriented jobs that strengthen competitiveness and support digital transformation, while ensuring that the EGF is properly implemented and contributes to the Union’s long-term economic and social resilience.
The resolution noted that Belgium started incurring administrative expenditure to implement the EGF on 6 March 2025 and that such expenditure shall therefore be eligible for a financial contribution from the EGF from that date until 31 months after the date of the entry into force of the financing decision.
It also highlighted that the Belgian authorities provided assurance that the principles of equality of treatment and non-discrimination will be respected in the access to the proposed actions and their implementation, and that any double financing will be prevented.
Lastly, Parliament reiterated that assistance from the EGF must not replace actions that are the responsibility of companies, by virtue of national law or collective agreements.