# CE2013153EN.01019701.xml

| 31.5.2013 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | CE 153/197 |
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31.5.2013

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 153/197

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Wednesday 16 November 2011Mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund: application EGF/2011/004 EL/ALDI Hellas/Greece

P7_TA(2011)0500

European Parliament resolution of 16 November 2011 on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund, in accordance with point 28 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline and sound financial management (application EGF/2011/004 EL/ALDI Hellas from Greece) (COM(2011)0580 – C7-0255/2011 – 2011/2200(BUD))

2013/C 153 E/39

The European Parliament,

The European Parliament

| — | having regard to the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2011)0580 – C7-0255/2011), |
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having regard to the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2011)0580 – C7-0255/2011),

| — | having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline and sound financial management (1) (IIA of 17 May 2006), and in particular point 28 thereof, |
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having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline and sound financial management (1) (IIA of 17 May 2006), and in particular point 28 thereof,

1

| — | having regard to Regulation (EC) No 1927/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 on establishing the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (2) (EGF Regulation), |
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having regard to Regulation (EC) No 1927/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 on establishing the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (2) (EGF Regulation),

2

| — | having regard to the trilogue procedure provided for in point 28 of the IIA of 17 May 2006, |
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having regard to the trilogue procedure provided for in point 28 of the IIA of 17 May 2006,

| — | having regard to the letter of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, |
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having regard to the letter of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs,

| — | having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgets (A7-0378/2011), |
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having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgets (A7-0378/2011),

| A. | whereas the European Union has set up the appropriate legislative and budgetary instruments to provide additional support to workers who are suffering from the consequences of major structural changes in world trade patterns and to assist their reintegration into the labour market, |
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A.

whereas the European Union has set up the appropriate legislative and budgetary instruments to provide additional support to workers who are suffering from the consequences of major structural changes in world trade patterns and to assist their reintegration into the labour market,

| B. | whereas the scope of the EGF was broadened for applications submitted from 1 May 2009 to include support for workers made redundant as a direct result of the global financial and economic crisis, |
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B.

whereas the scope of the EGF was broadened for applications submitted from 1 May 2009 to include support for workers made redundant as a direct result of the global financial and economic crisis,

| C. | whereas the Union’s financial assistance to workers made redundant should be dynamic and made available as quickly and efficiently as possible, in accordance with the Joint Declaration of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission adopted during the conciliation meeting on 17 July 2008, and having due regard for the IIA of 17 May 2006 in respect of the adoption of decisions to mobilise the EGF, |
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C.

whereas the Union’s financial assistance to workers made redundant should be dynamic and made available as quickly and efficiently as possible, in accordance with the Joint Declaration of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission adopted during the conciliation meeting on 17 July 2008, and having due regard for the IIA of 17 May 2006 in respect of the adoption of decisions to mobilise the EGF,

| D. | whereas Greece has requested assistance in respect of a case concerning 642 redundancies in two enterprises in the retail sector (‧supermarket and supplier‧) operating in the regions of Central Macedonia and Attica where the greatest number of ALDI stores were located. Smaller numbers of ALDI redundancies also occurred in other Greek regions, such as Eastern Macedonia-Thrace, Western Macedonia, Epirus, Western Greece, Sterea Ellada and Peloponnese. Of the 642 redundancies, 554 occurred during the reference period, and 88 occurred before the reference period, but are eligible for assistance according to Article 3a(b) of Regulation (EC) No 1927/2006. All 642 redundant workers are targeted for EGF assistance, |
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D.

whereas Greece has requested assistance in respect of a case concerning 642 redundancies in two enterprises in the retail sector (‧supermarket and supplier‧) operating in the regions of Central Macedonia and Attica where the greatest number of ALDI stores were located. Smaller numbers of ALDI redundancies also occurred in other Greek regions, such as Eastern Macedonia-Thrace, Western Macedonia, Epirus, Western Greece, Sterea Ellada and Peloponnese. Of the 642 redundancies, 554 occurred during the reference period, and 88 occurred before the reference period, but are eligible for assistance according to Article 3a(b) of Regulation (EC) No 1927/2006. All 642 redundant workers are targeted for EGF assistance,

| E. | whereas the application fulfils the eligibility criteria laid down by the EGF Regulation, |
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E.

whereas the application fulfils the eligibility criteria laid down by the EGF Regulation,

| 1. | Requests the institutions involved to make the necessary efforts to improve procedural and budgetary arrangements in order to accelerate the mobilisation of the EGF; appreciates in this sense the improved procedure put in place by the Commission, following Parliament's request for accelerating the release of grants, aimed at presenting to the budgetary authority the Commission's assessment on the eligibility of an EGF application together with the proposal to mobilise the EGF; hopes that further improvements in the procedure will be made within the framework of the upcoming review of the EGF and that greater efficiency, transparency and visibility of the EGF will be achieved; |
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1.

Requests the institutions involved to make the necessary efforts to improve procedural and budgetary arrangements in order to accelerate the mobilisation of the EGF; appreciates in this sense the improved procedure put in place by the Commission, following Parliament's request for accelerating the release of grants, aimed at presenting to the budgetary authority the Commission's assessment on the eligibility of an EGF application together with the proposal to mobilise the EGF; hopes that further improvements in the procedure will be made within the framework of the upcoming review of the EGF and that greater efficiency, transparency and visibility of the EGF will be achieved;

| 2. | Recalls the institutions’ commitment to ensuring a smooth and rapid procedure for the adoption of the decisions on the mobilisation of the EGF, providing one-off, time-limited individual support geared to helping workers who have been made redundant as a result of globalisation and the financial and economic crisis; emphasises the role that the EGF can play in the reintegration of workers made redundant into the labour market, in particular the most vulnerable and least qualified workers; |
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2.

Recalls the institutions’ commitment to ensuring a smooth and rapid procedure for the adoption of the decisions on the mobilisation of the EGF, providing one-off, time-limited individual support geared to helping workers who have been made redundant as a result of globalisation and the financial and economic crisis; emphasises the role that the EGF can play in the reintegration of workers made redundant into the labour market, in particular the most vulnerable and least qualified workers;

| 3. | Stresses that, in accordance with Article 6 of the EGF Regulation, it should be ensured that the EGF supports the reintegration of individual redundant workers into employment; further stresses that the EGF assistance can co-finance only active labour market measures which lead to long-term employment; reiterates that assistance from the EGF must not replace actions which are the responsibility of companies by virtue of national law or collective agreements, nor measures restructuring companies or sectors; deplores the fact that the EGF might provide an incentive for companies to replace their contractual workforce with a more flexible and short-term one; |
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3.

Stresses that, in accordance with Article 6 of the EGF Regulation, it should be ensured that the EGF supports the reintegration of individual redundant workers into employment; further stresses that the EGF assistance can co-finance only active labour market measures which lead to long-term employment; reiterates that assistance from the EGF must not replace actions which are the responsibility of companies by virtue of national law or collective agreements, nor measures restructuring companies or sectors; deplores the fact that the EGF might provide an incentive for companies to replace their contractual workforce with a more flexible and short-term one;

| 4. | Notes that the information provided on the coordinated package of personalised services to be funded from the EGF includes information on the compatibility and complementarity with actions funded by the Structural Funds; reiterates its call to the Commission to present a comparative evaluation of those data in its annual reports as well; |
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4.

Notes that the information provided on the coordinated package of personalised services to be funded from the EGF includes information on the compatibility and complementarity with actions funded by the Structural Funds; reiterates its call to the Commission to present a comparative evaluation of those data in its annual reports as well;

| 5. | Welcomes the fact that following repeated requests from Parliament, for the first time the 2011 budget shows payment appropriations of EUR 47 608 950 on the EGF budget line 04 05 01; recalls that the EGF was created as a separate specific instrument with its own objectives and deadlines and that it therefore deserves a dedicated allocation, which will avoid there being transfers from other budget lines, as happened in the past, which could be detrimental to the achievement of the various policies objectives; |
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5.

Welcomes the fact that following repeated requests from Parliament, for the first time the 2011 budget shows payment appropriations of EUR 47 608 950 on the EGF budget line 04 05 01; recalls that the EGF was created as a separate specific instrument with its own objectives and deadlines and that it therefore deserves a dedicated allocation, which will avoid there being transfers from other budget lines, as happened in the past, which could be detrimental to the achievement of the various policies objectives;

| 6. | Welcomes the foreseen reinforcement of the EGF budget line 04 05 01 by EUR 50 000 000 through Amending budget No 3/2011, which will be used to cover the amount needed for this application; |
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6.

Welcomes the foreseen reinforcement of the EGF budget line 04 05 01 by EUR 50 000 000 through Amending budget No 3/2011, which will be used to cover the amount needed for this application;

| 7. | Approves the decision annexed to this resolution; |
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7.

Approves the decision annexed to this resolution;

| 8. | Instructs its President to sign the decision with the President of the Council and to arrange for its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union; |
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8.

Instructs its President to sign the decision with the President of the Council and to arrange for its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union;

Official Journal of the European Union

| 9. | Instructs its President to forward this resolution, including its annex, to the Council and the Commission. |
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9.

Instructs its President to forward this resolution, including its annex, to the Council and the Commission.

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(1)  OJ C 139, 14.6.2006, p. 1.

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(2)  OJ L 406, 30.12.2006, p. 1.

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Wednesday 16 November 2011ANNEX

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund in accordance with point 28 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline and sound financial management (application EGF/2011/004 EL/ALDI Hellas from Greece)

(The text of this annex is not reproduced here since it corresponds to the final act, Decision 2011/771/EU.)

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