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/2022/002 BE TNT
Date: 2023-02-08
Institutions: Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, European Commission
Subjects: Belgium, European Globalisation Adjustment Fund, Province of Liège, commitment of expenditure, dismissal, employment aid, general budget (EU), globalisation, reintegration into working life, storage

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   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 8.2.2023  COM(2023) 69 final 2023/0031 (BUD)  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/2022/002 BE TNT  
 
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL 

1. 

2. 

3. 

The  rules  applicable  to  financial  contributions  from  the  European  Globalisation 
Adjustment  Fund  for  Displaced  Workers  (EGF)  are  laid  down  in  Regulation  (EU) 
2021/691  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  28  April  2021  on  the 
European  Globalisation  Adjustment  Fund  for  Displaced  Workers  (EGF)  and 
repealing Regulation (EU) No 1309/20131. 

On 18 October 2022, Belgium submitted an application EGF/2022/002 BE/TNT for 
a  financial  contribution  from  the  EGF,  following  displacements  in  TNT  Express 
Worldwide (Euro Hub) SRL (hereinafter referred to as TNT) in Belgium. 

Following  its  assessment  of  this  application,  the  Commission  has  concluded,  in 
accordance  with  all  applicable  provisions  of  Regulation  (EU)  2021/691,  that  the 
conditions for awarding a financial contribution from the EGF are met.  

SUMMARY OF THE APPLICATION 

EGF application 

Member State 

Region(s) concerned (NUTS2 level 2) 

EGF/2022/002 BE/TNT 

Belgium 
Province Liège (BE33) 

Date of submission of the application 

18 October 2022 

Date of acknowledgement of receipt of the 
application 

3 November 2022 

Date of request for additional information 

3 November 2022 

Deadline for provision of the additional 
information 

Deadline for the completion of the 
assessment 

Intervention criterion 

Primary enterprise 

25 November 2022 

14 February 2023 

Article 4(2), point (a), of Regulation 
(EU) 2021/691 

TNT Express Worldwide (Euro Hub) 
SRL (TNT) 

Number of enterprises concerned 

1 

Sector(s) of economic activity 
(NACE Revision 2 division)3 

Division 52 (Warehousing and support 
activities for transportation) 

Reference period (four months): 

27 March 2022 – 27 July 2022 

1 
2 

3 

OJ L 153, 3.5.2021, p. 48. 
Commission Delegated Regulation 2019/1755 of 8 August 2019 amending the Annexes to 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). OJ L 270, 24.10.2019, p. 1–56. 
OJ L 393, 30.12.2006, p. 1. 

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Number of displacements during the 
reference period (a) 

548 

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

Total number of displacements (a + b) 

Total number of eligible beneficiaries 

Total number of targeted beneficiaries 
Budget for personalised services (EUR) 
Budget for implementing EGF4 (EUR) 
Total budget (EUR) 
EGF contribution (85 %) (EUR) 

11 

559 

559 

559 
2 270 644 
31 000 
2 301 644 
1 956 397 

ASSESSMENT OF THE APPLICATION 

Procedure 

4. 

Belgium submitted application EGF/2022/002 BE/TNT within 12 weeks of the date 
on  which  the  intervention  criteria  set  out  in  Article 4(2),  point  (a),  of  Regulation 
(EU)  2021/691  were  met,  on  18  October  2022.  The  Commission  acknowledged 
receipt  of  the  application  and  requested  additional  information  from  Belgium  on  3 
November 2022. Such additional information was provided within 15 working days 
of  the  request.  The  deadline  of  50  working  days  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 
expires on 14 February 2023.  

Eligibility of the application 

Enterprises and beneficiaries concerned 

5. 

The application relates to 548 displaced  workers whose activity has ceased in TNT 
Express  Worldwide  (Euro  Hub)  SRL  in  the  economic  sector  classified  under  the 
for 
NACE  Revision  2  division  52 
transportation).  The  redundancies  made  by  TNT  are  located  in  the  NUTS  2  region 
Province Liège (BE33). 

(Warehousing  and  support  activities 

Intervention criteria 

6. 

7. 

8. 

4 

Belgium  submitted  the  application  under  the  intervention  criteria  of  Article 4(2), 
point (a), of Regulation (EU) 2021/691, which requires the cessation of activity of at 
least 200 displaced workers over a reference period of four months in an enterprise in 
a Member State, including workers displaced in suppliers and downstream producers 
and / or self-employed persons whose activity has ceased.  

The reference period of four months for the application runs from 27 March 2022 to 
27 July 2022. 

There were 548 workers displaced by TNT during the reference period.  

In accordance with Article 7(5) of Regulation (EU) 2021/691. 

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Calculation of displacements and of cessation of activity 

9. 

Pursuant  to  Article  6,  first  paragraph,  point  (a),  in  conjunction  with  Article  5,  first 
paragraph, point (c), of Regulation (EU) 2021/691, the cessation of activities of the 
548 displaced workers during the reference period has been calculated from the date 
of the de facto termination of the contract of employment or its expiry.  

Eligible beneficiaries 

10. 

In  addition  to  the  workers  already  referred  to,  the  eligible  beneficiaries  include  10 
displaced workers whose activity ceased between the end of the reference period and 
the day before of the adoption of this proposal pursuant to Article 6, first paragraph, 
point (b), of Regulation (EU) 2021/691. A clear causal link can be established with 
the event that triggered the cessations of activity of the displaced workers during the 
reference  period  as  required  by  Article  6,  second  paragraph,  of  Regulation  (EU) 
2021/691.. 

11. 

The total number of eligible beneficiaries is 559. 

Description of the events that led to the displacements and cessation of activity 

12. 

13. 

14. 

On  19  January  2021,  TNT  Express  Worldwide  (Euro  Hub)  SRL  –  the  Belgian 
subsidiary of the group resulting from the takeover of the Dutch TNT Group by the 
US Fedex Group in 2016 – announced its intention of dismissing 6715 workers and 
modifying the contracts of another 861 workers. 

The  enterprise  plans  to  use  Liège  airport  as  a  secondary  hub,  linked  only  to  some 
European  airports,  while  Paris-Charles  de  Gaulle  becomes  FedEx's  primary  hub, 
linked to all European airports, as well as to airports in America, Asia and the Middle 
East. As a result, the workforce at Liège airport has to be downsized in line with the 
reduced workload and the decreased number of flights at Liège airport, this resulting 
in redundancies and revised working conditions for hundreds of employees.  

The  changes  aim  to  avoid  a  duplication  of  activities  and  strengthen  the  position  of 
the  group  in  a  context  of  fierce  competition  in  the  sector  at  European  and  national 
level. 

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

15. 

16. 

5 

6 

7 

The unemployment rate in Wallonia (8,7%) is 2,8 percentage points higher than the 
unemployment  rate  at  national  level  (5,9%)6.  Besides,  the  employment  market  in  
Province  Liège  is  particularly  disadvantaged  compared  with  other  provinces  in 
Wallonia.  

Province  Liège   along with  Province  Hainaut  has  the highest  job  demand rate 
(share of unemployed registered job seekers in the active population) in Wallonia, at 
13,8% in March 20227. 

The intended number of displacements was reduced during the mandatory procedure for informing and 
consulting workers' representatives, as described in paragraphs 23 and 24.  
Average  of  last  four  quarters  available  (Q3 2021-Q2 2022).  Source:  Statbel.  « Population  active 
(travailleurs et chômeurs) et inactive depuis 2017 basé sur l’Enquête sur les Forces de Travail reformée, 
par trimestre, province, sexe, classe d’âge et niveau d’éducation. Dernières 4 Trimestre (2ème trimestre 
2021, 3ème trimestre 2021, 4ème trimestre 2021, 1er trimestre 2022) ». 
Le Forem, « Emploi du temps. Photo locale de la demande d’emploi ». 

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17. 

18. 

19. 

20. 

21. 

The  year-on-year  (YoY)  variation  in  the  number  of  job  seekers  in  Province  Liège 
shows a positive trend: it  has been declining for the last two  years (YoY,  -1,7% in 
Q2 2021 and -2,1% in Q2 2022). However, while the same trend is observed for the 
short-term  unemployed,  the  opposite  is  true  for  the  long-term  unemployed  (more 
than  12  months).  Reintegration  into  employment  is  becoming  particularly  difficult 
for the long-term unemployed, who have been looking for a job for at least two years 
but  less  than  five.  In  March  2022,  28%  of  all  job  seekers  belong  to  the  2-5  years 
group, 5 percentage points more than in March 20208.  

Age is associated with difficulties in job search in Province Liège, where those aged 
50+ accounted for 27,5% of the job-seekers in  March 20229. Almost half (47%) of 
former TNT workers belong to this age group.  

While  the  COVID-19  crisis  has  accelerated  the  search  for  workers  with  more 
qualified  profiles  in  the  Belgian  labour  market,  60%  of  TNT  former  workers  held 
low qualified jobs, such as handler, ramp agent, etc.. So, these workers might find it 
difficult  to  re-integrate  into  employment;  even  more  so  in  stable  contracts,  as  the 
sector favours short contracts.  

The Walloon authorities argue that the displacements in TNT will have a particular 
impact  on  two  categories  of  workers  (the  low  skilled  and  those  aged  50+)  that  are 
already disadvantaged in the regional labour market. 

Besides,  the  context  of  the  COVID-19  crisis  coupled  with  the  Russian  war  of 
aggression  against  Ukraine  worsen  the  outlook  for  economic  development.  The 
current  rise  in  inflation,  in  particular  the  increase  in  prices  of  raw  materials  and 
energy,  reduce  enterprises’  margins  and  their  competitiveness.  This  suggests  less 
hiring in 2022. IWEPS (Wallonia's Institute for Evaluation, Foresight and Statistics) 
estimates the annual average growth rate in Belgian national employment for 2022, 
to be 1,3% lower than in 202110. Thus, TNT former workers will need additional and 
targeted support to increase their chances of finding new jobs. 

Application of the EU Quality Framework for anticipation of change and restructuring 

(QFR) 

22. 

23. 

24. 

Belgium  has  described  how  the  recommendations  set  out  in  the  EU  Quality 
Framework  for  anticipation  of  change  and  restructuring  have  been  taken  into 
account. 

TNT  complied  with  Belgian  law  on  collective  redundancies,  which  establishes  a 
mandatory  procedure  for  informing  and  consulting  workers'  representatives.  The 
procedure  makes  it  possible  to  explore  any  possibility  of  avoiding  or  reducing  the 
number  of  redundancies.  It  also  seeks  to  mitigate  the  consequences  of  job  loss 
through  complementary  social  measures,  such  as  support  for  redeployment  or 
retraining of redundant workers. 

The information and consultation procedure led to a reduced number of redundancies 
and  allowed  workers  to  apply  for  voluntary  dismissal  and  receive  the  relevant 
financial  incentives.  The  negotiation  also  secured  a  specific  budget  from  TNT  to 
cover for retraining costs. 

8 
9 
10 

Le Forem, « Emploi du temps. Photo locale de la demande d’emploi ». 
Ibid 
IWEPS, Tendances Économiques nº 63, p. 21. 

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25. 

26. 

Wallonia's regional legislation11 provides for specific support for redundant workers, 
in the form of a redeployment unit (cellule de reconversion)12 by the Regional Public 
Employment  and  Vocational  Training  Service  (Forem),  at  the  request  of  workers’ 
representative organisations. The redeployment unit does not constitute an obligation 
for  the  employer,  nor  for  Forem.  The  implementation  of  the  EGF  co-financed 
measures will be managed through such a redeployment unit. 

Regarding  the  activities  undertaken  to  assist  the  displaced  workers,  Belgium  has 
reported  that  national  labour  law 13  on  the  active  management  of  restructuring 
requires  enterprises  undergoing  restructuring  to  set  up  an  employment  unit  (cellule 
pour  l’emploi)14,  whose  purpose  is  to  provide  workers  laid  off  in  the  context  of 
collective redundancies with 30 hours of outplacement services in a period of three 
months  (60  hours  in  six  months  for  workers  aged  45+).  The  services  of  the 
employment unit started immediately after the displacements.  

Complementarity with actions funded by national or Union funds 

27. 

28. 

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

The  coordinated  package  of  personalised  services  complements  actions  funded  by 
other national or EU funds, see outplacement services described in paragraph 26. 

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

29. 

30. 

Belgium  has  indicated  that  the  co-ordinated  package  of  personalised  services  has 
been  drawn  up  in  consultation  with  targeted  beneficiaries'  representatives,  in 
compliance with Article 7(4) of Regulation (EU) 2021/691. 

Aiming  to  prepare  a  sound  package  of  tailored  measures  to  support  TNT 
workers’efforts  to  return  to  work,  Forem,  trade  unions  (FGTB15 and  CSC16),  and 
other  partners  met  on  6  April,  11  May  and  21  June  2022,  to  better  understand 
workers' retraining needs. The social counsellors who accompanied the workers after 
their  dismissal  were  also  consulted.  These  meetings  resulted  in  a  coordinated 
package of EGF measures that complements the standard measures proposed by the 
employment unit. 

Targeted beneficiaries and proposed measures 

Targeted beneficiaries 

31. 

All  559  displaced  workers  are  expected  to  participate  in  the  measures.  Pursuant  to 
Article  8(7),  point  (f),  of  Regulation  (EU)  2021/691,  the  provided  breakdown  of 
these  workers  by  gender,  age  group  and  educational  level  is  as  follows: 

11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 

Wallonia Government Decree of 29 January 2004, as amended by the Decree of 30 April 2009. 
Forem. Restructuring event: redeployment units 
The Royal Decree (Arrêté Royal) of 10 November 2006 amending the Royal Decree of 9 March 2006  
Forem. Restructuring event: employment units 
Fédération générale du travail de Belgique. 
Conféderation des syndicats chrétiens. 

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Category 

Gender: 

Men: 

Women: 

Non-binary 

Age group: 

Below 30 years: 

Educational 
level 

30-54 years: 

Over 54 years: 

Lower  secondary 
education or less17  
Upper  secondary18 
or  post-secondary 
education19 

Tertiary 
education20 

Number of  
expected 
beneficiaries 

486 

(86,9 %) 

73 

(13,1 %) 

0 

13 

366 

180 

(0,0 %) 

(2,3 %) 

(65,7 %) 

(32,0 %) 

289 

(51,7 %) 

212 

(37,9 %) 

58 

(10,4 %) 

Proposed measures 

32. 

Pursuant  to  Article  8(7),  point  (h)  of  Regulation  (EU)  2021/691,  the  coordinated 
package to be provided to displaced workers consists of the following measures:  

– 

– 

Information services, occupational guidance and outplacement assistance. This 
set  of  services  expands  the  standard  activities  in  support  of  TNT  former 
workers  carried  out  by  Forem's  employment  unit  on  behalf  of  the  dismissing 
enterprise.  The  standard  offer  will  be  extended  beyond  the  mandatory  period 
and additional specific services such as individual coaching, active job-search 
and job-matching services will be proposed. Particular attention will be paid to 
vulnerable  people  in  a  situation  of  psychological  distress,  indebtedness,  or 
recognised  disability  through  professionals  specialised  in  assisting  these 
groups. 

Training,  retraining  and  vocational  training.  Workers  will  have  access  to  the 
standard training offer of Forem and its partners. Specific job search modules 
will  be  deployed  as  well.  In  addition,  after  the  profiling  and  agreement  of 
individual  projects  with  the  vocational  counsellor,  specific  training  will  be 
offered  to  cater  for  the  identified  needs.  A  module  to  improve  IT  skills  and 
gain  digital  autonomy,  specifically  developed  for  the  former  TNT  workers  is 
also  on  offer.  This  module  complements  the  module  to  develop  digital  skills 
that is part of Forem's standard training offer.  

– 

Support towards business creation. The measure aims at workers who wish to 
launch  their  own  business.  It  will  include  a  diagnosis  and  guidance  phase, 

17 
18 
19 
20 

ISCED 0-2 
ISCED 3 
ISCED 4 
ISCED 5-8 

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– 

– 

awareness-raising  actions  on  entrepreneurship,  information  sessions  on  the 
potential  for  business  creation  through  territorial  economic  diagnoses  and 
networking with relevant entrepreneurs and with certified coaches in business 
creation. 

Contribution  to  business  creation.  The  workers  who  start  a  business  or  an 
activity  as  self-employed  persons  will  receive  a  contribution  up 
to 
EUR 15 000.  The  contribution  will  be  paid  in  two  installments,  after  proving 
the start of the business activity with supporting documents. 

Incentives and allowances: (1) Job-search and training allowances. Workers 
will receive EUR 1 per hour of effective participation in training or job-search 
activities. (2) Bonus for improving IT skills. Workers, who follow the module 
for access to digital autonomy developed ad-hoc for them, will receive a lump 
sum of EUR 400 conditional on their active participation and completion of the 
training.  The  bonus  aims  to  reduce  digital  illiteracy  by  encouraging  former 
TNT  workers  to  improve  their  IT  skills.  (3) Return-to-school  allowance.  A 
monthly  allowance  of  EUR 350  per  month  will  be  granted  to  workers  who 
embark  on  secondary  and  tertiary  studies  full-time  for  at  least  one  year,  or 
qualifying training of at least 3 months to acquire the necessary skills for jobs 
that  are  in  demand  and  for  which  recruiting  is  difficult,  linked  to  critical 
functions 21 ,  or  significantly  gender-unbalanced.  (4) Allowance  towards 
business  creation.  To  support  the  workers  while  setting  up  their  business,  a 
monthly allowance of EUR 350 for a maximum of 12 months will be granted.  

The  training  to  gain  digital  autonomy  mentioned  above  that  complements  Forem's 
standard  training  to  develop  digital  skills,  together  with  a  module  on  circular 
economy  and  efficient  use  of  resources  are  in  line  with  the  requirements  set  out  in 
Article  7(2)  of  Regulation  (EU)  2021/691.  The  module  on  circular  economy  and 
efficient  use  of 
former  Swissport  workers 
(EGF/2020/005 BE)22 will be part of Forem's standard training offer co-financed by 
ESF+.  It  is  therefore  not  budgeted  in  this  proposal.  Besides,  resource  efficient 
economy is at the core of the training offer of Forem 'environment' training center23.  

resources  developped 

for 

The  proposed  actions,  here  described,  constitute  active  labour  market  policy 
measures  within  the  eligible  actions  set  out  in  Article  7  of  Regulation  (EU) 
2021/691. These actions do not substitute passive social protection measures.  

Belgium has informed that the 30/60 hours of outplacement services that are the legal 
obligation of the employer began immediately after the displacements. The EGF co-
financed  redeployment  unit  took  over  after  the  end  of  the  legal  obligation  without 
time gap.  

Belgium has provided the required information on  measures that are mandatory for 
the  enterprise  concerned  by  virtue  of  national  law  or  pursuant  to  collective 
agreements. In accordance with Article 9(1) of Regulation (EU) 2021/691, Belgium 
has  confirmed  that  a  financial  contribution  from  the  EGF  will  not  replace  such 
measures. 

List of jobs in demand and difficult to be covered or linked to critical functions. « Métiers en tension de 
recrutement  en  Wallonie.  Liste  des  métiers/fonctions  critiques  et  en  pénurie  ».  Le  Forem  2020. 
Updates to the list are available in Forem website.  
COM(2021) 212. 
www.formation-environnement.be 

33. 

34. 

35. 

36. 

21 

22 
23 

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Estimated budget 

37. 

38. 

39. 

The  estimated 
personalised  services  of  EUR 2 270 644  and  expenditure 
management, 
EUR 31 000. 

total  costs  are  EUR 2 301 644,  comprising  expenditure  for 
for  preparatory, 
information  and  publicity,  control  and  reporting  activities  of 

The total financial contribution requested from the EGF is EUR 1 956 397 (85 % of 
total costs). 

Pursuant  to  Article  8(7),  point  (m),  Belgium  has  specified  that  the  national  pre-
financing and co-funding is provided by Région Wallonne. 

Measures 

Estimated 
number of 
participants 

Estimated cost 
per participant 
(EUR)24 

Estimated total 
costs 
(EUR)25  

Personalised services (measures under Article 7(2) , second subparagraph, point (a), of Regulation 
(EU) 2021/691) 

Information services, occupational guidance 
and outplacement assistance 
(Reconversion: 
accompagnement/orientation/mobilisation) 

Training, retraining and vocational training 
(formations et modules spécifiques) 

Support towards business creation (dispositif 
d'accompagnement à l'entrepreneuriat)  

Contribution to business creation 
(bourse de lancement) 

559 

2 898 

1 620 081 

500 

152 

76 00026 

60 

25 

720 

43 186 

10 000 

250 000 

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

– 

1 989 267 

(87,61 %) 

Allowances and incentives (measures under Article 7(2) , second subparagraph, point (b), of 
Regulation (EU) 2021/691) 

Incentives and allowances 
(allocation de recherche d'emploi et de 
formation, prime numérique, allocation de 
reprise d'études, allocation 
d'entrepreneuriat)  

559 

503 

281 377 

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

– 

281 377 

(12,39 %) 

24 

25 
26 

To avoid decimals, the estimated costs per worker have been rounded. However, the rounding has no 
impact on the total cost of each measure, which remains as in the application submitted by Belgium. 
Totals do not tally due to rounding. 
EGF  co-financing  is  requested  for  training  not  included  in  Forem’s  offer,  nor  covered  by  TNT’s 
specific budget for retraining referred to in point nº24.  

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Activities under Article 7(5) of Regulation (EU) 2021/691 

1. Preparatory activities 

2. Management 

3. Information and publicity 

4. Control and reporting 

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

Total costs (a + b + c): 

EGF contribution (85 % of total costs) 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

027 

2 000 

10 000 

19 000 

31 000 

(1,35 %) 

2 301 644 

1 956 397 

40. 

41. 

The  costs  of  the  measures  identified  in  the  table  above  as  measures  under 
Article 7(2),  second  subparagraph,  point  (b),  of  Regulation  (EU)  2021/691do  not 
exceed 35 % of the total costs for the coordinated package of personalised services. 
Belgium confirmed that these measures are conditional on the active participation of 
the targeted beneficiaries in job-search or training activities. 

In accordance with Article 7(2), fourth subparagraph, of Regulation (EU) 2021/691, 
Belgium confirmed that the costs of investments for self-employment, business start-
ups and employee take-overs will not exceed EUR 22 000 per beneficiary. 

Period of eligibility of expenditure 

42. 

43. 

Belgium started providing the personalised services to the targeted beneficiaries on 1 
April 2022. The expenditure on the measures will therefore be eligible for a financial 
contribution  from  the EGF  from  1 April 2022 until 24 months  after the date of the 
entry into force of the Financing Decision.  

Belgium  started  incurring  the  administrative  expenditure  to  implement  the  EGF  on 
19  January  2021.  The  expenditure  for  preparatory,  management,  information  and 
publicity,  control  and  reporting  activities  shall  therefore  be  eligible  for  a  financial 
contribution  from  the EGF from  19 January 2021 until  31 months  after the date of 
the entry into force of the Financing Decision.  

Management and control systems 

44. 

The  application  contains  a  description  of  the  management  and  control  system 
required  under  Article  23  of  Regulation  (EU)  2021/691,  which  specifies  the 
responsibilities of the bodies involved. Belgium has notified the Commission that the 
financial  contribution  will  be  managed  and  controlled  by  the  same  bodies  that 
manage and control the ESF+. 

Commitments provided by the Member State concerned 

45. 

Belgium has provided all necessary assurances regarding the following:  

– 

– 

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

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

27 

Preparatory activities are financed by Forem’s operating budget for collective reconversions. 

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– 

– 

– 

TNT, which has continued its activities after the lay-offs, has complied with its 
legal obligations and provided for its workers accordingly, 

any double financing will be prevented, 

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

BUDGETARY IMPLICATION 

Budgetary proposal 

46. 

47. 

48. 

The EGF shall not exceed a maximum annual amount of EUR 186 million (in 2018 
prices),  as 
in  Article 8  of  Council  Regulation  (EU,  Euratom) 
No 2020/2093  of  17  December  2020  laying  down  the  multiannual  financial 
framework for the years 2021 to 202728. 

laid  down 

Having examined the application in respect of the conditions set out in Article 13(1) 
and (2) of Regulation (EU) 2021/691, and having taken into account the number of 
targeted  beneficiaries,  the  proposed  measures  and  the  estimated  costs,  the 
Commission  proposes  to  mobilise  the  EGF  for  the  amount  of  EUR 1 956 397, 
representing 85 % of the total costs of the proposed measures, 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  pursuant  to  Article  15(1),  first  subparagraph,  second 
sentence,  of  Regulation  (EU)  2021/691  and  as  laid  down  in  point  9  of  the 
Interinstitutional  Agreement  of  16  December  2020  between 
the  European 
Parliament,  the  Council  of  the  European  Union  and  the  European  Commission  on 
budgetary  discipline,  on  cooperation  in  budgetary  matters  and  on  sound  financial 
management,  as  well  as  on  new  own  resources,  including  a  roadmap  towards  the 
introduction of new own resources29. 

Related acts 

49. 

50. 

28 
29 
30 

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 to 
transfer to the relevant budgetary line the amount of EUR 1 956 397. 

At the same time as it adopted this proposal for a decision to mobilise the EGF, the 
Commission  adopted  a  decision  on  a  financial  contribution  that  constitutes  a 
financing  decision  within  the  meaning  of  Article  110  of  Regulation  (EU,  Euratom) 
2018/104630. That financing decision will enter into force on the date on which the 
Commission  is  notified  of  the  approval  of  the  budgetary  transfer  by  the  European 
Parliament  and  the  Council  pursuant  to  Article  15(2),  first  subparagraph,  of 
Regulation (EU) 2021/691. 

OJ L 433 I, 22.12.2020, p. 11. 
OJ L 433 I, 22.12.2020, p. 29. 
Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on 
the  financial  rules  applicable  to  the  general  budget  of  the  Union,  amending  Regulations  (EU)  No 
1296/2013, (EU) No 1301/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) No 1304/2013, (EU) No 1309/2013, (EU) 
No  1316/2013,  (EU)  No  223/2014,  (EU)  No  283/2014,  and  Decision  No  541/2014/EU  and  repealing 
Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 OJ L 193, 30.7.2018, p. 1 

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2023/0031 (BUD) 

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/2022/002 BE TNT 

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) 2021/691 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 
28 April 2021 on the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers (EGF) 
and  repealing  Regulation  (EU)  No 1309/2013 31 ,  and  in  particular  Article 15(1),  first 
subparagraph, thereof, 

Having  regard  to  the  Interinstitutional  Agreement  of  16  December  2020  between  the 
European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission on 
budgetary  discipline,  on  cooperation  in  budgetary  matters  and  on  sound  financial 
management, as well as on new own resources, including a roadmap towards the introduction 
of new own resources32, and in particular point 9 thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

The European Globalisation Adjustment Fund  for  Displaced  Workers (EGF)  aims to 
demonstrate solidarity and promote decent and sustainable employment in the Union 
by  providing  support  for  workers  made  redundant  and  self-employed  persons  whose 
activity  has  ceased  in  the  case  of  major  restructuring  events  and  assisting  them  in 
returning to decent and sustainable employment as soon as possible.  

The  EGF  is  not  to  exceed  a  maximum  annual  amount  of  EUR 186  million  (in  2018 
prices),  as laid down in  Article 8 of Council Regulation  (EU, Euratom)  2020/209333 
and Article 16 of Regulation (EU) 2021/691. 

On  18  October  2022,  Belgium  submitted  an  application  to  mobilise  the  EGF  in 
accordance  with  Article  8(1)  of  Regulation  (EU)  2021/691,  in  respect  of  worker’s 
displacements in TNT Express Worldwide (Euro Hub) SRL (TNT) in Belgium. It was 
supplemented  by  additional  information  provided  in  accordance  with  Article 8(5)  of 
Regulation  (EU)  2021/691.  That  application  complies  with  the  conditions  for  a 
financial  contribution  from  the  EGF  as  laid  down  in  Article 13  of  Regulation  (EU) 
2021/691. 

(4) 

The EGF should, therefore, be mobilised in order to provide a financial contribution of 
EUR 1 956 397 in respect of the application submitted by Belgium. 

31 
32 
33 

OJ L 153, 3.5.2021, p. 48. 
OJ L 433 I, 22.12.2020, p. 29 
Council Regulation (EU, Euratom)  No 2020/2093 of 17 December 2020 laying down the multiannual 
financial framework for the years 2021 to 2027 (OJ L 433 I, 22.12.2020, p. 11). 

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(5) 

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

HAVE ADOPTED THIS DECISION:  

For the general budget of the Union for the financial year 2023, the European Globalisation 
Adjustment  Fund  for  Displaced  Workers  shall  be  mobilised  to  provide  the  amount  of 
EUR 1 956 397 in commitment and payment appropriations. 

Article 1 

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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