Mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund: application EGF/2026/001 BE/Cora – Belgium
The European Parliament adopted by 605 to 56, with 7 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/2026/001 BE/Cora.
As a reminder, on 25 March 2026, Belgium submitted an application EGF/2026/001 BE/Cora for a financial contribution from the EGF, following displacements in Cora SA and one supplier and downstream producer in Belgium.
Parliament approved the decision annexed to the resolution to mobilise an amount of EUR 3 821 460 in commitment and payment appropriations to assist displaced workers from Cora (hypermarket retailer) and one of its suppliers (transport company).
The financial contribution represents 85% of the total cost of EUR 4 495 836, comprising expenditure for personalised services of EUR 4 441 774 and expenditure for preparatory, management, information and publicity, control and reporting activities of EUR 54 062.
Events leading to redundancies
Cora, hypermarket retailers, despite numerous measures over the past decade to strengthen its financial position, has been forced into progressive down-sizing and successive waves of collective redundancies since September 2025. These developments take place against a broader backdrop of profound changes in the retail sector, including the rapid growth of e-commerce, intensifying competition from non-EU online retailers, including Chinese platforms, and increased pressure on European retailers from lower cost competitors that may not be subject to equivalent regulatory and production standards. This case is affecting the Hainaut province, where the unemployment rate remains a concern.
Beneficiaries
The application relates to 1 257 displaced workers who were made redundant by Cora and one supplier. Eight in ten displaced workers have an educational attainment of upper secondary level or lower, with one in three being aged over 54, facing greater barriers to re-entering the labour market. The Belgian and regional authorities are called on to address social disparities and structural barriers preventing displaced workers from accessing quality employment, including age-related discrimination.
Personalised services
The personalised services to be provided to workers include the following measures: (i) outplacement services providing vocational orientation; (ii) skills certification; (iii) training and re-training; (iv) support for business creation and contribution to start-up; (v) incentives and allowances in order to prevent long-term unemployment including for older workers.
Belgium started providing personalised services to the targeted beneficiaries and incurring administrative expenditure to implement the EGF on 1 September 2025 and 9 April 2025, respectively, and that the period of eligibility for a financial contribution from the EGF will therefore be from that date until 24 months and until 31 months after the date of the entry into force of the financing decision, respectively.
Lastly, Parliament noted 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. Assistance from the EGF must not replace actions that are the responsibility of public authorities or companies under national law or collective agreements.