Proposal for a DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund following an application from Finland – EGF/2017/002 FI/Microsoft 2
Date: 2017-06-21
Institutions: Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, European Commission
Subjects: European Globalisation Adjustment Fund, Finland, Southern Finland, Western Finland, collective dismissal, commitment of expenditure, employment aid, financial aid, general budget (EU), reintegration into working life, software

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   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 21.6.2017  COM(2017) 322 final   Proposal for a DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund following an application from Finland – EGF/2017/002 FI/Microsoft 2  
 
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL 

1. 

2. 

3. 

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) 
No 1927/20061 (the ‘EGF Regulation’). 

On 1 February 2017, Finland submitted an application EGF/2017/002 FI/Microsoft 2 
for  a  financial  contribution  from  the  EGF,  following  redundancies2    in  Microsoft 
(Microsoft Mobile Oy) and 11 suppliers and dowstream producers (hereafter referred 
to as ‘redundancies’).  

Following  its  assessment  of  this  application,  the  Commission  has  concluded,  in 
accordance with all applicable provisions of the EGF Regulation, that the conditions 
for awarding a financial contribution from the EGF are met.  

SUMMARY OF THE APPLICATION 

EGF application 

EGF/2017/002 FI/Microsoft 2 

Member State 
Region(s) concerned (NUTS3 level 2) 

Finland 

Helsinki-Uusimaa (Uusimaa, FI1B1) 
Länsi-Suomi (Pirkanmaa, FI197) 
Etelä-Suomi (Varsinais-Suomi,FI1C1) 

Date of submission of the application 

1 February 2017 

Date of acknowledgement of receipt of the 
application 

1 February 2017 

Date of request for additional information 

15 February 2017 

Deadline for provision of the additional 
information 

29 March 2017 

Deadline for the completion of the assessment 

21 June 2017 

Intervention criterion 

Primary enterprise 

Article 4(1)(a) of the EGF Regulation 

Microsoft (Microsoft Mobile Oy)) 

Number of enterprises concerned 

12 

Sector(s) of economic activity 
(NACE Revision 2 Division)4 

62 Computer programming, 
consultancy and other activities  

Number of subsidiaries, suppliers and 

11 

1 
2 
3 

4 

OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 855. 
Within the meaning of Article 3 of the EGF Regulation. 
Commission  Regulation  (EU)  No 1046/2012  of  8  November  2012  implementing  Regulation  (EC) 
No 1059/2003  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  on  the  establishment  of  a  common 
classification of territorial units for statistics (NUTS) as regards the transmission of the time series for 
the new regional breakdown (OJ L 310, 9.11.2012, p. 34). 
OJ L 393, 30.12.2006, p. 1. 

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downstream producers 

Reference period (four months): 

12 July 2016 – 12 November 2016  

Number of redundancies during the reference 
period (a) 

1 248 

Number of redundancies before or after the 
reference period (b) 

0 

Total number of redundancies  

Total number of eligible beneficiaries 

Total number of targeted beneficiaries 

Number of targeted young persons not in 
employment, education or training (NEETs) 
Budget for personalised services (EUR) 
Budget for implementing EGF5 (EUR) 
Total budget (EUR) 
EGF contribution (60 %) (EUR) 

1 248 

1 248 

1 000 

0 

5 559 300 
   307 500 
5 866 800 
3 520 080 

ASSESSMENT OF THE APPLICATION 

Procedure 

4. 

Finland submitted application EGF/2017/002 FI/Microsoft 2 within 12 weeks of the 
date  on  which  the  intervention  criteria  set  out  in  Article 4  of  the  EGF  Regulation 
were  met,  on  1  February  2017.  The  Commission  acknowledged  receipt  of  the 
application on the same day and requested additional information from Finland on 15 
February  2017.  Such  additional  information  was  provided  within  six  weeks  of  the 
request. The deadline of 12 weeks of the receipt of the complete application within 
which the Commission should finalise its assessment of the application's compliance 
with  the  conditions  for  providing  a  financial  contribution  will  expire  on  21  June 
2017. 

Eligibility of the application 

Enterprises and beneficiaries concerned 

5. 

The application relates to 1 248 workers made redundant in Microsoft Oy (Microsoft 
Mobile  Oy)  and  11  suppliers  and  downstream  producers.  The  primary  enterprise 
operates in the economic sector classified under the NACE  Revision 2 Division 62 
Computer programming, consultancy and other activities. The redundancies made by 
the Microsoft Mobile Oy are mainly located in the NUTS level 2 regions of Helsinki-
Uusimaa, Länsi-Suomi and Etelä-Suomi. 

Enterprises and number of dismissals within the reference period 

Microsoft Mobile Oy 
Accenture Oy 
HCL Technologies Ltd 
ISS Palvelut OyManpower 
JOT Automation Oy 

1 191  Manpower Group Solutions 

5  Sale Nordic Oy 
3  Spellpoint Oy 

20  Symbio Finland Oy 

1  Tieto Oy 

14 
1 
1 
3 
2 

5 

In accordance with the fourth paragraph of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 1309/2013. 

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Enterprises and number of dismissals within the reference period 

Lionbridge Oy 
Total no. of enterprises: 12 

6  Varamiespalvelu-Group Oy 
Total no. of dismissals:  

1 

1 248 

Total no. of self-employed persons whose activity has ceased:  

0 

Total no. of eligible workers and self-employed persons:  

1 248 

Intervention criteria 

6. 

7. 

8. 

Finland submitted the application under the intervention criteria of Article 4(1)(a) of 
the EGF Regulation, which requires at least 500 workers being made redundant over 
a  reference  period  of  four  months  in  an  enterprise  in  a  Member  State,  including 
workers made redundant by suppliers and downstream producers..  

The reference period of four months for the application runs from 12 July 2016 – 12 
November 2016.  

The redundancies during the reference period are as follows: 

– 

– 

1 191 workers made redundant in Microsoft 

57 workers made redundant in the 11 suppliers and downstream producers of 
Microsoft. 

Calculation of redundancies and cessation of activity 

9. 

The redundancies during the reference period have been calculated as follows: 

– 

1 248 from the date of the employer's individual notice to lay off the worker. 

Eligible beneficiaries 

10. 

The total number of eligible beneficiaries is 1 248. 

Link  between  the  redundancies  and  major  structural  changes  in  world  trade  patterns 
due to globalisation 

11. 

12. 

13. 

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7 

In order to establish the link between the redundancies and major structural changes 
in  world  trade  patterns  due  to  globalisation  Finland  argues  that  the  main  reason 
behind  the workforce  reductions  is  the  worldwide  competition  in  the  mobile  phone 
sector  and  the  consequent  loss  of  market  share  by  Microsoft  Mobile  Oy  (and  its 
Windows based operating system).  

After  the  acquisition  of  the  mobile  phone  business  of  Nokia  by  Microsoft  (US), 
Microsoft  Mobile  Oy  was  established  in  2014,  with  its  headquarters  in  Espoo, 
Finland.  Approximately  4 700  Nokia  employees  were  transferred  to  Microsoft 
Mobile Oy in Finland. 

Nokia  was  using  exclusively  the  Microsoft  Windows  operating  system.  Microsoft 
Mobile Oy continued this practice. This operating system had a global market share 
of  3,3 %  by  mid-2013,  which  share  declined  to  0,8 %  in  2016.  The  competitors` 
operating systems like Android increased its market share to 82,2 % and iOS (Apple) 
increased its share to 14,6 % by early 20166 7. 

www.statista.com/chart/4112/smartphone-market-share 
https://www.strategyanalytics.com/strategy-analytics/news/strategy-analytics-press-releases/strategy-
analytics-press-release/2016/11/02/strategy-analytics-android-captures-record-88-percent-share-of-
global-smartphone-shipments-in-q3-2016#.WTosOjclGUl 

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14. 

15. 

This  decrease  happened  despite  the  fact  that  Microsoft  Mobile  Oy  launched  new 
mobile  devices  and  invested  into  design,  components  and  marketing8..  The 
competitors  offer  cheaper  hardware  and  operating  system  products,  which  are  very 
attractive to new customers in the emerging markets and also in Europe. 

The current application is the continuation of a series of previous applications from 
Finland,  about  the  decline  of  Nokia  (EGF/2007/003  FI/Perlos,  EGF/2012/006 
FI/Nokia 
FI/Broadcom, 
EGF/2015/005  FI/Computer  Programming,  EGF/2016/001  FI/Microsoft  and 
EGF/2016/008 FI/Nokia Network Systems). 

FI/Nokia,  EGF/2015/001 

Salo,  EGF/2013/001 

Events giving rise to the redundancies and cessation of activity 

16. 

17. 

18. 

19. 

20. 

21. 

22. 

The  manufacturing  of  mobile  devices  is  shifting  continuously  to  lower  wage 
countries, where the working conditions are often poor9. Low wages are part of cost-
effectiveness10. Cheap mobile devices are in high demand in the emerging markets. 
The European import is also growing11.. 

The loss of market share by Nokia is due to the aggressive market entry of numerous 
East  Asian  smartphone  manufacturers,  benefiting 
labour  and 
manufacturing cost. 

from 

low 

The  winners  in  this  competition  have  been  the  US-  and  Asia-based  manufacturers, 
who are using Android and iOS operating software. 

Android  has  hundreds  of  partners,  especially  in  Asia,  releasing  new  phones  every 
year. There are multiple Android options in the mid-range or low-end price brackets. 
That is crucial in markets like India, Africa and the Middle East. 

The  manufacturing  of  mobile  devices  has  been  transferred  from  South  Korea  to 
China and more recently to even lower-cost countries, such as Vietnam12. 

In  May  2016,  Microsoft  announced  the  reduction  of  up  to  1 350  jobs  at  Microsoft 
Mobile  Oy  in  Finland.  All  Microsoft  Mobile  Oy´s  activities  are  closing  down.  550 
employees lost their job in the Helsinki-Uusimaa region, 500 in the Pirkanmaa area 
(Länsi-Suomi region) and 300 in Salo (Etelä-Suomi region)  

There  is  an  on-going  EGF  intervention  (EGF/2016/001  FI/Microsoft)  targeted  to 
support  the  employees  made  redundant  from  Microsoft  earlier.  The  targeted 
beneficiaries of this proposal are separate from the beneficiaries of that case. 

Expected impact of the redundancies as regards the local, regional or national economy and 
employment 

The affected NUTS 2 regions are Helsinki-Uusimaa, Etelä-Suomi and Länsi-Suomi. 

8 
9 
10 
11 
12 

www.statista.com/chart/4112/smartphone-market-share 
http://www.businessinsider.com/samsung-factory-working-conditions-2012-11?r=US&IR=T&IR=T 
http://comptryx.com/product/global_salary_survey 
https://www.kantarworldpanel.com/global/News/Android-Share-Tops-75-in-Europes-Largest-Markets 
http://www.thanhniennews.com/business/samsung-shifts-plants-from-china-to-vietnam-to-protect-
margins-392.html 

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Helsinki-Uusimaa 

23. 

24. 

25. 

26. 

In  2012-2016  the  extensive  lay-offs  concerned  mostly  the  electronics  industry  and 
the  software  industry.  In  the  autumn  of  2016  lay-offs  occurred  in  various 
manufacturing sectors and in construction. 

The  number  of  people  employed  in  the  information  and  communications  sector  in 
Uusimaa  in  the  third  quarter  of  2016  was  6 000  lower  than  a  year  before. 
Unemployment  among  highly  educated  groups  and  ICT  professionals  is  still 
growing13 . 

In  2012–2016,  the  extensive  lay-offs  in  Helsinki,  Espoo  and  Vantaa  cities  have 
mostly  concerned  the  electronics  industry  and  the  software  industry.  These 
companies laid off more than 5 000 workers in 2012-2016.  

About  72 %  of  the  people  made  redundant  by  Microsoft  in  the  region  are  highly 
educated. 

Länsi-Suomi  

27. 

28. 

29. 

30. 

The  Pirkanmaa  area  is  the  most  affected  by  the  Microsoft  Mobile  Oy`s  dismissals 
within this region.  

In 2016 the Pirkanmaa Employment and Economic Development Office (TE Office) 
had a total of 38 077 unemployed jobseekers. Unemployed jobseekers accounted for 
14,6 % of the labour force14.  

The  Pirkanmaa  TE  Office  has  currently  registered  some  1 700  unemployed 
jobseekers in the ICT sector. In 2016, long-term unemployed persons accounted for 
40 % of all the registered unemployed jobseekers in the ICT sector in Pirkanmaa.  

The  occupational  group  facing  the  greatest  increase  in  unemployment  is  the 
specialists, with higher education. A total of 6 084 persons with an academic degree 
were  registered  as  unemployed  jobseekers  in  September  2016  in  the  region.  The 
unemployment  rate  of  highly  educated  workers  in  the  technology  sector  grew  last 
year by 8,1 p.p. in the region. 

Etelä-Suomi  

31. 

32. 

33. 

In  this  region  the  Salo  town  area  is  the  most  affected  by  Microsoft  Mobile  Oy`s 
dismissals. 300 employees will lose their job with Microsoft in Salo, according to the 
TE office.  

Salo town lost a total of 6 900 jobs between 2007 and 2014, a decline of 26 p.p. in 
jobs. As a result of the end of the former Nokia’s mobile phone production and the 
economic  downturn,  unemployment  more  than  doubled  between  2008  and  2016  in 
the area.  

Unemployment rate in the region has increased by more than ten percentage points, 
from  7,0  to  17,5 %.  This  change  has  been  exceptional  when  compared  even  with 
other Finnish municipalities with Nokia/Microsoft presence15. 

34. 

The proportion of highly educated people among unemployed in Salo has increased.  

13 
14 
15 

http://julkaisut.valtioneuvosto.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/78927/TKAT_Oct_2016_en.pdf?sequence=1 
http://julkaisut.valtioneuvosto.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/78927/TKAT_Oct_2016_en.pdf?sequence=1 
http://www.itproportal.com/2015/07/20/nokias-woes-pushing-finnish-town-salo-further- into-recession/ 

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Targeted beneficiaries and proposed actions 

Targeted beneficiaries 

35. 

The estimated number of redundant workers expected to participate in the measures 
is  1 000.  The  breakdown  of  these  workers  by  sex,  citizenship  and  age  group  is  as 
follows: 

Sex: 

Category 

Men: 

Women: 

Citizenship:  EU citizens: 

non-EU citizens: 

Age group: 

15-24 years: 

25-29 years: 

30-54 years: 

55-64 years: 

over 64 years: 

Number of  
targeted beneficiaries 

740 

260 

(74,0 %) 

(26,0 %) 

955 

(95,5 %) 

45 

0 

25 

(4,5 %) 

(0 %) 

(2,5 %) 

925 

(92,5 %) 

50 

0 

(5,0 %) 

(0 %) 

Eligibility of the proposed actions 

36. 

The  personalised  services  to  be  provided  to  redundant  workers  consist  of  the 
following actions:  

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

Coaching  measures  and  other  preparatory  measures:  these  measures  will 
include  job  seeking  training,  support  to  labour  mobility  (EURES  services), 
individual guidance (job coaching), career coaching and expert assessments. 

Employment  and  business  services:  these  measures  will  include  supporting 
independent job seekers, assessment of competencies, try-outs and recruitment 
events. 

Training: this measure will include vocational, continuing and change training, 
re-education, entrepreneurial and labour mobility related training.  

Start up grant: this measure will provide start-up grants to promote the creation 
of  business  activity,  to  launch  and  establish  a  full-time  business,  in  ICT  or 
other sectors. 

Pay subsidy: this measure will support employment in a new job by reducing 
the payrolls costs. Pay subsidy is 30-50 % of the payroll costs. 

Allowances  for  travel  and  accomodation:  this  measure  is  to  cover  costs 
incurred for the job-seeeker, during a training. 

37. 

38. 

The  proposed  actions,  here  described,  constitute  active  labour  market  measures 
within the eligible actions set out in Article 7 of the EGF Regulation. These actions 
do not substitute passive social protection measures. 

Finland has provided the required information on actions that are mandatory for the 
enterprise concerned by virtue of national law or pursuant to collective agreements. 

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They have confirmed that a financial contribution from the EGF will not replace such 
actions. 

Estimated budget 

39. 

The  estimated 
personalised  services  of  EUR 5 559 300  and  expenditure 
management, 
EUR 307 500. 

total  costs  are  EUR 5 866 800,  comprising  expenditure  for 
for  preparatory, 
information  and  publicity,  control  and  reporting  activities  of 

40. 

The total financial contribution requested from the EGF is EUR 3 520 080 (60 % of 
total costs). 

Actions 

Estimated 
number of 
participants 

Estimated cost 
per participant 
(EUR) 

Estimated total 
costs* 
(EUR)  

Personalised services (Actions under Article 7(1)(a) and (c) of the EGF Regulation) 

Coaching measures and other preparatory 
measures (Valmennukset ja muut valmentavat 
toimenpiteet  ) 

Employment and business services 
(Työllisyys- ja yrityspalvelut) 

Training (Koulutus)  

195 

1 200 

234 000 

800 

535 

606 

484 800 

6 000 

3 210 000 

Start-up grant (Starttiraha)  

18 

8 000 

144 000 

Sub-total (a): 
Percentage of the package of personalised 
services  

– 

4 072 800 

(73,26 %) 

Allowances and incentives (Actions under Article 7(1)(b) of the EGF Regulation) 

Pay subsidy (Palkkatuki) 

Allowances for travel and 
accomodation(Liikkuvuusavustus) 

Sub-total (b): 
Percentage of the package of personalised 
services: 

 Actions under Article 7(4) of the EGF Regulation 

1. Preparatory activities 

2. Management 

3. Information and publicity 

4. Control and reporting 

163 

130 

9 000 

1 467 000 

150 

19 500 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

1 486 500 

(26,74 %) 

9 000 

143 000 

115 500 

 40 000 

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Sub-total (c): 
Percentage of the total costs : 

Total costs (a + b + c): 

EGF contribution (60 % of total costs) 

*: % is rounded, other figures not 

– 

– 

– 

307 500 

(5,24 %) 

5 866 800 

3 520 080 

41. 

The costs of the actions identified in the table above as actions under Article 7(1)(b) 
of  the  EGF  Regulation  do  not  exceed  35 %  of  the  total  costs  for  the  coordinated 
package  of  personalised  services.  Finland  confirmed  that  these  actions  are 
conditional  on  the  active  participation  of  the  targeted  beneficiaries  in  job-search  or 
training activities. 

42. 

Finland confirmed that the costs of investments for self-employment, business start-
ups and employee take-overs will not exceed EUR 15 000 per beneficiary.  

Period of eligibility of expenditure 

43. 

44. 

Finland started providing the personalised services to the targeted beneficiaries on 12 
July  2016.  The  expenditure  on  the  actions  will  therefore  be  eligible  for  a  financial 
contribution from the EGF from 12 July 2016 to 1 February 2019. 

Finland started incurring the administrative expenditure to implement the EGF on 12 
July 2016. The expenditure for preparatory, management, information and publicity, 
control and reporting activities shall therefore be eligible for a financial contribution 
from the EGF from 12 July 2016 to 1 August 2019.  

Complementarity with actions funded by national or Union funds 

45. 

46. 

The  sources  of  national  pre-financing  or  co-funding  are  the  public  employment 
services item in the administrative branch of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and 
Employment  (MEE).  Some  services  will  also  be  funded  from  the  operating 
expenditure  of  the  Centres  for  Economic  Development  (ELY  Centres)  and  the  TE 
Offices. 

Finland  has  confirmed  that  the  measures  described  above  receiving  a  financial 
contribution  from  the  EGF  will  not  also  receive  financial  contributions  from  other 
Union financial instruments. 

Procedures  for  consulting  the  targeted  beneficiaries  or  their  representatives  or  the  social 
partners as well as local and regional authorities 

47. 

Finland has indicated that the co-ordinated package of personalised services has been 
drawn up in consultation with a working group, which included the representatives of 
the ELY Centres, the TE offices of the concerned regions, Microsoft, the Technology 
Industries of Finland, Trade Union Pro, Union of Professional Engineers in Finland 
and of the Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation.  

Management and control systems 

48. 

The application contains a description of the management and control system which 
specifies  the  responsibilities  of  the  bodies  involved.  Finland  has  notified  the 
Commission that the financial contribution will be managed by MEE, which acts as 
managing and certifying authority for EGF and as an intermediate body distributing 
EGF  funds.  The  management  functions  for  EGF  have  been  assigned  to  the 
Employment and Entrepreneurship Department.  

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49. 

50. 

The certifying functions are within the  Human  Resources  and Administration Unit. 
Payments to beneficiaries are executed via the regional ELY Centres and TE Offices.  

With  regard  to  auditing,  the  responsible  body  is  the  independent  Internal  Auditing 
Unit, operating under the Permanent Secretary of the MEE. 

Commitments provided by the Member State concerned 

51. 

Finland has provided all necessary assurances regarding the following:  

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

the principles of equality of treatment and non-discrimination will be respected 
in the access to the proposed actions and their implementation, 

the  requirements  laid  down  in  national  and  EU  legislation  concerning 
collective redundancies have been complied with, 

the dismissing enterprises,  which have  continued their activities after  the  lay-
offs,  have  complied  with  their  legal  obligations  governing  the  redundancies 
and provided for their workers accordingly, 

the proposed actions will not receive financial support from other Union funds 
or financial instruments and any double financing will be prevented, 

the  proposed  actions  will  be  complementary  with  actions  funded  by  the 
Structural Funds, 

the  financial  contribution  from  the  EGF  will  comply  with  the  procedural  and 
material Union rules on State aid. 

BUDGETARY IMPLICATION 

Budgetary proposal 

52. 

53. 

54. 

The  EGF  shall  not  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  of  2  December  2013  laying  down  the  multiannual  financial 
framework for the years 2014-202016. 

Having examined the application in respect of the conditions set out in Article 13(1) 
of  the  EGF  Regulation,  and  having  taken  into  account  the  number  of  targeted 
beneficiaries, the proposed actions and the estimated costs, the Commission proposes 
to mobilise the EGF for the amount of EUR 3 520 080, representing 60 % of the total 
costs  of  the  proposed  actions,  in  order  to  provide  a  financial  contribution  for  the 
application. 

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 management17. 

Related acts 

55. 

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 3 520 080. 

16 
17 

OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 884. 
OJ C 373, 20.12.2013, p. 1. 

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56. 

At the same time as  it adopts  this  proposal for a decision to mobilise the  EGF, the 
Commission  will  adopt  a  decision  on  a  financial  contribution,  by  means  of  an 
implementing  act,  which  will  enter  into  force  on  the  date  at  which  the  European 
Parliament and the Council adopt the proposed decision to mobilise the EGF. 

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Proposal for a 

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL 

on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund following an 
application from Finland – EGF/2017/002 FI/Microsoft 2 

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) No 1927/200618, and in particular Article 15(4) 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 management19, and in particular point 13 thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

(5) 

18 
19 
20 

The  European  Globalisation  Adjustment  Fund  (EGF)  aims  to  provide  support  for 
workers  made  redundant  and  self-employed  persons  whose  activity  has  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, or as a result of a 
new  global  financial  and  economic  crisis,  and  to  assist  them  with  their  reintegration 
into the labour market. 

The  EGF  is  not  to  exceed  a  maximum  annual  amount  of  EUR 150  million  (2011 
in  Article 12  of  Council  Regulation  (EU,  Euratom) 
prices),  as 
No 1311/201320. 

laid  down 

On 1 February 2017, Finland submitted an application to mobilise the EGF, in respect 
of  redundancies  in  Microsoft  Oy  (Microsoft  Mobile  Oy)  and  11  suppliers  and 
downstream producers and cessations of activities.. It was supplemented by additional 
information  provided 
(EU) 
No 1309/2013.  That  application  complies  with  the  requirements  for  determining  a 
financial contribution from the EGF as laid down in Article 13 of Regulation (EU) No 
1309/2013. 

in  accordance  with  Article 8(3)  of  Regulation 

The EGF should, therefore, be mobilised in order to provide a financial contribution of 
EUR 3 520 080 in respect of the application submitted by Finland. 

In  order  to  minimise  the  time  taken  to  mobilise  the  EGF,  this  decision  should  apply 
from the date of its adoption, 

OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 855. 
OJ C 373, 20.12.2013, p. 1. 
Council  Regulation  (EU,  Euratom)  No 1311/2013  of  2  December  2013  laying  down  the  multiannual 
financial framework for the years 2014-2020 (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 884). 

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HAVE ADOPTED THIS DECISION:  

Article 1 

For the general budget of the Union for the financial year 2017, the European Globalisation 
Adjustment Fund shall be mobilised to provide the amount of EUR 3 520 080 in commitment 
and payment appropriations. 

Article 2 

This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the 
European Union. It shall apply from [the date of its adoption]. 

Done at Brussels, 

For the European Parliament 
The President 

For the Council 
The President 

  

Date to be inserted by the Parliament before the publication in OJ. 

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