# COM_2016_0078_FIN.ENG.xhtml.1_EN_ACT_part1_v2.docx

european flagEUROPEAN COMMISSION

Brussels, 22.2.2016

COM(2016) 78 final

Proposal for a

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF/2016/000 TA 2016 - Technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission)

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

The rules applicable to financial contributions from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) are laid down in Regulation (EU) No 1309/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 on the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (2014-2020) and repealing Regulation (EC) 1927/2006
  1
  (the ‘EGF Regulation’).

SUMMARY OF THE APPLICATION AND ANALYSIS

Key data:

EGF Reference no.
     EGF/2016/000

European Commission
     Technical assistance

Administrative expenditure: budget in EUR
     380 000

% administrative expenditure (ceiling: 0,5 %)
     0,23 %

In accordance with Article 11(1) of the EGF Regulation, a maximum of 0,5 % of the annual maximum amount of the EGF may be made available each year for technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission.

In accordance with Article 11(1) of the EGF Regulation, a maximum of 0,5 % of the annual maximum amount of the EGF may be made available each year for technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission.

Technical assistance to be funded and breakdown of its estimated costs

Technical assistance to be funded and breakdown of its estimated costs

1.The contribution will be used for expenditure mentioned in Article 11(1) and (4) as well as Article 12(2), (3) and (4) of the EGF Regulation, as detailed hereunder.

1.

The contribution will be used for expenditure mentioned in Article 11(1) and (4) as well as Article 12(2), (3) and (4) of the EGF Regulation, as detailed hereunder.

2.Monitoring and data gathering: The Commission will collect data on applications received, paid and wound up, and measures proposed and implemented. This data will be made available on the web site and compiled in appropriate form for the Biennial Report of 2017. Building on the work of recent years, costs for this activity will be EUR 20 000.

2.

Monitoring and data gathering

: The Commission will collect data on applications received, paid and wound up, and measures proposed and implemented. This data will be made available on the web site and compiled in appropriate form for the Biennial Report of 2017. Building on the work of recent years, costs for this activity will be EUR 20 000.

3.Information: The web site on the EGF
  2
  , which the Commission has set up within its Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, and it maintains as required under Article 12(2) of the EGF Regulation, will be regularly updated and expanded, with each new element also being translated into all EU languages. General awareness of the EGF will be increased and its visibility promoted. The EGF will be covered in various Commission publications and audio-visual activities as provided for in Article 11(4) of the EGF Regulation. Costs of all these items are estimated at EUR 20 000 in 2016.

3.

Information

: The web site on the EGF

2

, which the Commission has set up within its Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, and it maintains as required under Article 12(2) of the EGF Regulation, will be regularly updated and expanded, with each new element also being translated into all EU languages. General awareness of the EGF will be increased and its visibility promoted. The EGF will be covered in various Commission publications and audio-visual activities as provided for in Article 11(4) of the EGF Regulation. Costs of all these items are estimated at EUR 20 000 in 2016.

4.Creation of a knowledge base / application interface: The Commission is continuing its work setting up standardised procedures for EGF applications and management, using the functionalities of SFC 2014
  3
  , into which it is being integrated. This allows applications under the EGF Regulation to be simplified, their processing to be speeded up and reports to be more easily extracted for varying needs. Preparation and fine tuning of the module for final reports closing the implementation of each EGF case will be the priority of the year, with the objective of easing the administrative burden for the Member States and the integration of the EGF cases under the current Regulation into SFC from beginning to end. The cost of these items is estimated at EUR 100 000, being the EGF contribution to the development of SFC and its regular maintenance. It is expected that this level of contributions will need to be maintained for a further year, so that all the EGF modules in SFC can be constructed, after which the cost will drop, as the main focus will be on maintenance.

4.

Creation of a knowledge base / application interface

: The Commission is continuing its work setting up standardised procedures for EGF applications and management, using the functionalities of SFC 2014

3

, into which it is being integrated. This allows applications under the EGF Regulation to be simplified, their processing to be speeded up and reports to be more easily extracted for varying needs. Preparation and fine tuning of the module for final reports closing the implementation of each EGF case will be the priority of the year, with the objective of easing the administrative burden for the Member States and the integration of the EGF cases under the current Regulation into SFC from beginning to end. The cost of these items is estimated at EUR 100 000, being the EGF contribution to the development of SFC

and its regular maintenance. It is expected that this level of contributions will need to be maintained for a further year, so that all the EGF modules in SFC can be constructed, after which the cost will drop, as the main focus will be on maintenance.

5.Administrative and technical support: The Expert Group of Contact Persons of the EGF, with one member from each Member State, will be holding two meetings (end of 2016 / first half of 2017), together estimated at EUR 70 000.

5.

Administrative and technical support

: The Expert Group of Contact Persons of the EGF, with one member from each Member State, will be holding two meetings (end of 2016 / first half of 2017), together estimated at EUR 70 000.

6.In addition, in order to promote networking among the Member States, the Commission will organise two seminars with the participation of EGF implementing bodies and social partners. To the extent possible, these will be scheduled to take place around the same dates as the Expert Group meetings and will focus on issues arising from the practical implementation of the EGF Regulation at grassroots level. The cost of these seminars is estimated at EUR 120 000.

6.

In addition, in order to promote networking among the Member States, the Commission will organise two seminars with the participation of EGF implementing bodies and social partners. To the extent possible, these will be scheduled to take place around the same dates as the Expert Group meetings and will focus on issues arising from the practical implementation of the EGF Regulation at grassroots level. The cost of these seminars is estimated at EUR 120 000.

7.Evaluation: Public procurement for the mid-term evaluation was completed in 2015, with a view to concluding the evaluation by 30 June 2017 (as required by Article 20(1)(a) of the EGF Regulation). In 2016, EUR 50 000 are budgeted to allow finalisation, translations and publication of the report in time for presentation in mid-2017. No evaluation expenditure will be budgeted in 2017.

7.

Evaluation

: Public procurement for the mid-term evaluation was completed in 2015, with a view to concluding the evaluation by 30 June 2017 (as required by Article 20(1)(a) of the EGF Regulation). In 2016, EUR 50 000 are budgeted to allow finalisation, translations and publication of the report in time for presentation in mid-2017. No evaluation expenditure will be budgeted in 2017.

| Items | Estimated number | Estimated cost per item
  (in EUR) | Total costs
  (in EUR) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monitoring and data gathering | Various | Various | 20 000 |
| Information activities | Various | Various | 20 000 |
| Creation of a knowledge base / application interface in SFC | Various | Various | 100 000 |
| Administrative and technical support: Meetings of the Expert Group of Contact Persons of the EGF | 2 | 35 000 | 70 000 |
| Administrative and technical support: Networking seminars on the implementation of the EGF | 2 | 60 000 | 120 000 |
| Evaluation | Various | 50 000 | 50 000 |
| Total estimated costs | | 380 000 |

Items

Items

Estimated number

Estimated number

Estimated cost per item
  (in EUR)

Estimated cost per item

(in EUR)

Total costs
  (in EUR)

Total costs

(in EUR)

Monitoring and data gathering

Monitoring and data gathering

Various

Various

Various

Various

20 000

20 000

Information activities

Information activities

Various

Various

Various

Various

20 000

20 000

Creation of a knowledge base / application interface in SFC

Creation of a knowledge base / application interface in SFC

Various

Various

Various

Various

100 000

100 000

Administrative and technical support: Meetings of the Expert Group of Contact Persons of the EGF

Administrative and technical support: Meetings of the Expert Group of Contact Persons of the EGF

2

2

35 000

35 000

70 000

70 000

Administrative and technical support: Networking seminars on the implementation of the EGF

Administrative and technical support: Networking seminars on the implementation of the EGF

2

2

60 000

60 000

120 000

120 000

Evaluation

Evaluation

Various

Various

50 000

50 000

50 000

50 000

Total estimated costs

Total estimated costs

380 000

380 000

Financing

Financing

8.The maximum annual budget available for the EGF in 2016 is EUR 150 million (2011 prices), as laid down in Article 12 of Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1311/2013 of 2 December 2013 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2014-2020
  4
  .

9.Article 11(1) of the EGF Regulation states that 0,5 % of this amount (i.e. EUR 828 060 in 2016) can be made available for technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission. Currently, the entire amount for 2016 remains available; nothing has yet been allocated to technical assistance. The proposed amount corresponds to about 0,23 % of the maximum annual budget available for the EGF in 2016.

10.The proposed decision to mobilise the EGF will be taken jointly by the European Parliament and the Council, as laid down in point 13 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 2 December 2013 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management
  5
  .

Related acts

11.At the same time as it presents this proposal for a decision to mobilise the EGF, the Commission will present to the European Parliament and to the Council a proposal for a transfer to the relevant budgetary line for the amount of EUR 380 000.

Source of payment appropriations

12.Appropriations from the EGF budget line will be used to cover the amount of EUR 380 000 needed for technical assistance.

Proposal for a

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF/2016/000 TA 2016 - Technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission)

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1309/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 on the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (2014-2020) and repealing Regulation (EC) 1927/2006
  6
  , and in particular Article 11(2) thereof,

Having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 2 December 2013 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management
  7
  , and in particular point 13 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

(1)The European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) was established 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 addressed in Regulation (EC) No 546/2009
  8
  , or as a result of a new global financial and economic crisis, and to assist them with their reintegration into the labour market.

(2)The EGF is not to exceed a maximum annual amount of EUR 150 million (2011 prices), as laid down in Article 12 of Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1311/2013.

(3)Regulation (EU) No 1309/2013 provides that a maximum of 0,5 % of the annual maximum amount of the EGF may be used each year for technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission.

(4)The EGF should, therefore, be mobilised in order to provide the sum of EUR 380 000 for technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission.

HAVE ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

For the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2016, the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) shall be mobilised to provide the sum of EUR 380 000 in commitment and payment appropriations.

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Done at Brussels,

For the European Parliament
     For the Council

The President
     The President