P7_TA(2013)0529

Mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund — application EGF/2013/001 FI/Nokia from Finland

European Parliament resolution of 10 December 2013 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/2013/001 FI/Nokia from Finland) (COM(2013)0707 — C7-0359/2013 — 2013/2264(BUD))

(2016/C 468/43)

The European Parliament,

having regard to the Commission proposal to the European Parliament and the Council (COM(2013)0707 — C7-0359/2013),

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,

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) (the EGF Regulation),

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,

having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgets (A7-0411/2013),

whereas the Union has set up 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,

whereas the Union’s financial assistance to workers made redundant should be dynamic and made available as quickly and as 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 to the IIA of 17 May 2006 in respect of the adoption of decisions to mobilise the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF),

whereas Finland submitted application EGF/2013/001 FI/Nokia for a financial contribution from the EGF, following 4 509 redundancies in Nokia, with 3 719 workers targeted for EGF co-funded measures during the reference period 1 August 2012 to 30 November 2012,

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

Agrees with the Commission that the conditions laid down in point (a) of Article 2 of the EGF Regulation are met and that Finland is therefore entitled to a financial contribution under that Regulation;

Notes that the Finnish authorities submitted the application for an EGF financial contribution on 1 February 2013 and that its assessment was made available by the Commission on 16 October 2013; regrets the lengthy evaluation period and inquires as to why this particular application required eight months of assessment, whereas an application relating to Nokia Salo in 2012 was evaluated within three months;

Considers that the redundancies in Nokia plc, Nokia Siemens Networks and 30 of its suppliers and subcontractors involved in the mobile phone sector are linked to major structural changes in world trade patterns due to globalisation, in particular the transfer of functions within the sector to third countries and a decrease in Nokia’s market share for basic mobile phones and smartphones;

Notes that Nokia Finland (Salo area) was already subject to large scale redundancies in 2012 (EGF/2012/006 FI/Nokia Salo) with this new wave bringing the number of affected Nokia employees to more than 6 000, which presents a great challenge for the affected localities, as well as for the Finnish economy as a whole;

Regrets the fact that the redundancies in Nokia stem from its corporate decision to move its production plants, as well as design and product development, to Asia and are part of its plan to reduce global employment in the Nokia Corporation by 17 000 workers by the end of 2013; notes that that decision has given rise to three EGF mobilisations in favour of 6 138 Nokia workers;

Recalls that the EGF already acted in favour of 1 337 workers who were dismissed as a result of the relocation of Nokia from Germany to Romania in 2008; notes that five years later, the EGF is being mobilised for the fourth time in relation to dismissals in Nokia;

Welcomes the fact that the Finnish authorities started the implementation of the coordinated package of personalised service when the dismissals started on 1 August 2012 in order to assist workers before they ceased working at Nokia;

Notes that the coordinated package of personalised services to be co-funded includes measures for the reintegration of 3 719 redundant workers into employment such as coaching and other preparatory measures, training and retraining, entrepreneurship promotion and services for new entrepreneurs, support for starting independent business operations, mobility assistance, employment services at the Service Point, pay subsidies and a company-based data acquisition scheme;

Welcomes the fact that the package contains innovative measures such as Protomo, a matching service for new business start-ups;

Notes that the financial allowances to be covered by the EGF are limited and that the majority of support will be devoted to training and entrepreneurship;

Welcomes the fact that the social partners i.e. the Council of Finnish Industrial Unions (e.g. Trade Union Pro, the Finnish Metalworkers' Union) were consulted in relation to the preparation of the EGF application and that a policy of equality between women and men as well as the principle non-discrimination will be applied during the various stages of the implementation of and in access to the EGF;

Welcomes the fact that the redundancies and the preparation of the coordinated package of personalised services are addressed by a dedicated working group comprising the social partners (including Nokia representatives) and regional authorities;

Recalls the importance of improving the employability of all workers by means of adapted training and the recognition of skills and competences gained throughout a worker's professional career; expects the training on offer in the coordinated package to be adapted not only to the needs of the dismissed workers but also to the actual business environment;

Notes that the information provided on the coordinated package of personalised services to be funded from the EGF includes information on complementarity with actions funded by the Structural Funds; stresses that the Finnish authorities confirm that the eligible actions do not receive assistance from other Union financial instruments; reiterates its call to the Commission to present a comparative evaluation of those data in its annual reports in order to ensure full respect of the existing regulations and that no duplication of Union-funded services can occur;

Requests that the institutions involved make the necessary efforts to improve procedural arrangements in order to accelerate the mobilisation of the EGF; appreciates the improved procedure put in place by the Commission, following Parliament's request for the accelerated release of grants, which aims to present to the budgetary authority the Commission's assessment of eligibility of an EGF application together with the proposal to mobilise the EGF; hopes that further improvements in the procedure will be integrated in the new Regulation on the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (2014-2020) and that greater efficiency, transparency and visibility of the EGF will be achieved;

Stresses that in accordance with Article 6 of the EGF Regulation, it shall be ensured that the EGF supports the reintegration of individual redundant workers into stable employment; stresses, furthermore, that EGF assistance can co-finance only active labour market measures which lead to durable, long-term employment; reiterates that assistance from the EGF must not replace neither actions which are the responsibility of companies by virtue of national law or collective agreements, nor measures restructuring companies or sectors;

Welcomes the agreement reached in the Council on reintroducing in the EGF Regulation for the period 2014-2020 the crisis mobilisation criterion, which allows for the provision of financial assistance to workers made redundant as a result of the current financial and economic crisis in addition to those losing their job because of changes in global trade patterns.

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

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

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

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

ANNEX

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/2013/001 FI/Nokia from Finland)

(The text of this annex is not reproduced here since it corresponds to the final act, Decision 2013/788/EU.)