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/2023/001 BE/ LNSA
Date: 2023-06-06
Institutions: Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, European Commission
Subjects: Belgium, European Globalisation Adjustment Fund, Province of Walloon Brabant, commitment of expenditure, dismissal, employment aid, general budget (EU), globalisation, reintegration into working life, storage

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   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 6.6.2023  COM(2023) 210 final 2023/0152 (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/2023/001 BE/ LNSA  
 
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  17  February  2023,  Belgium  submitted  an  application  EGF/2023/001 BE/LNSA 
for  a  financial  contribution  from  the  EGF,  following  displacements  in  Logistics 
Nivelles SA (LNSA) and one supplier 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/2023/001 BE/LNSA 

Belgium 
Province Brabant Wallon (BE31)3 

Date of submission of the application 

17 February 2023 

Date of acknowledgement of receipt of the 
application 

3 March 2023 

Date of request for additional information 

3 March 2023 

Deadline for provision of the additional 
information 

24 March 2023 

Deadline for the completion of the assessment 

14 June 2023 

Intervention criterion 

Primary enterprise 

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

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

Logistics Nivelles SA (LNSA) 

Division 52 (Warehousing and 
support activities for transportation) 

Number of subsidiaries, suppliers and 
downstream producers 

1 

Reference period (four months): 

23 August 2022 – 23 December 2022 

1 
2 

3 

4 

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. 
LNSA  was  located  in  Province  Brabant  Wallon  (BE31).  However,  86,3%  of  the  dismissed  workers 
reside in Hainaut.  
OJ L 393, 30.12.2006, p. 1. 

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Number of displacements during the reference 
period (a) 

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 EGF5 (EUR) 
Total budget (EUR) 
EGF contribution (85 %) (EUR) 

542 

61 

603 

603 

603 
2 484 363 
49 000 
2 533 363 
2 153 358 

ASSESSMENT OF THE APPLICATION 

Procedure 

4. 

Belgiun submitted application EGF/2023/001 BE/LNSA 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  17  February  2023.  The  Commission  acknowledged 
receipt  of  the  application  and  requested  additional  information  from  Belgium  on  3 
March  2023.  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 June 2023. 

Eligibility of the application 

Enterprises and beneficiaries concerned 

5. 

6. 

The application relates to  displaced  workers whose activity has  ceased in  Logistics 
Nivelles  SA  (LNSA)  (447  workers)  and  SuperTransport  SA/NV,  a  supplier  of 
Logistics Nivelles (95 workers). The total number of eligible workers is 542.  

Logistics  Nivelles  operated  in  the  economic  sector  classified  under  the  NACE 
Revision 2 division 52 (Warehousing and support activities for transportation). The 
displacements in this enterprise are located in the NUTS 2 region of Brabant Wallon 
(BE31). 

Intervention criteria 

7. 

8. 

9. 

5 

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 23 August 2022 to 
23 December 2022. 

The cessation of activity during the reference period occurred as follows: 

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

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– 

– 

447 displaced workers in LNSA, 

95 displaced workers in SuperTransport SA/NV, a supplier of LNSA. 

Calculation of displacements and of cessation of activity 

10. 

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 
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 

11. 

In  addition  to  the  workers  already  referred  to,  the  eligible  beneficiaries  include  61 
displaced workers whose activity ceased before or after the reference period of four 
months. All these workers ceased their activity within the six months before the start 
of the reference period on 23 August 2022 and/or between the end of the reference 
period  and  the  day  before  the  adoption  of  this  proposal,  pursuant  to  Article  6,  first 
paragraph, point (b), of Regulation (EU) 2021/691, as required by Article 6, second 
paragraph, 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.. 

12. 

The total number of eligible beneficiaries is 603. 

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

13. 

14. 

15. 

The event giving rise to these displacements is Kuehne + Nagel6 (K+N)’s decision to 
close down its Belgian subsidiary LNSA. 

The  entrerprise  has  been  facing  financial  difficulties  in  the  past  years.  In  2020, 
LNSA’s losses were higher than the total budget and a capital increase was necessary 
to offset the losses. In 2021, the losses were again higher than expected. LNSA could 
not  continue  in  business  in  the  long  or  medium  term  without  profit  or  without 
breaking even7. 

LNSA provides logistics services regarding fresh and dry food products,  wines and 
spirits  to  Carrefour.  With  a  view  to  renewing  the  contract  with  Carrefour,  K+N 
carried  out  a  study  to  define  a  future  network,  which  would  improve  services  at 
competitive  costs.  Based  on  the  study  results,  K+N  decided  to  turn  its  regional 
distribution  of  fresh  and  dry  foods  into  a  national  distribution.  That  is,  instead  of 
delivering to northern stores from  Logistics Kontich NV (Kontich)8 and to southern 
stores from LNSA, to make all deliveries from Kontich and close LNSA down. 

16. 

Kontich  was  preferred  because  its  productivity  is  25%  higher  than  LNSA,  the 
differences  in  stocks  (shrinkage 9 )  are  lower  and  its  geographical  location  more 
convenient, which means shorter delivery times and lower transport costs. 

6 

7 
8 
9 

Kuehne + Nagel International AG is a global transport and logistics company based in Switzerland. It 
provides sea freight and airfreight forwarding, contract logistics, and overland businesses. 
Source: Minutes of LNSA works council of 22 September 2021. 
Also subsidiary of K+N. 
The notion of shrinkage relates to the costs that result from losses of goods occurring during handling or 
because of theft or negligence. 

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

17. 

18. 

19. 

20. 

21. 

22. 

In  2022 Q4,  the  unemployment  rate  in  Wallonia  (8,4%)  was  2,8  percentage  points 
higher than the unemployment rate at national level (5,6%)10. In December 2022, the 
job  demand  rate  (share  of  unemployed  registered  job  seekers  in  the  active 
population)  in  Wallonia  was  13,4%,  that  is  1,3  percentage  points  higher  than  in 
December 202111. 

Although  LNSA  is  located  in  province  Brabant  Wallon,  the  redundancies  concern 
also  Hainaut  where  86,3%  of  the  dismissed  workers  live.  In  February  2023,  the 
number  of  registered  job  seekers  has  increased  by  9,8%  year-over-year  in  Hainaut 
and by 3,7% in Brabant Wallon12.  

Age is associated with difficulties in job search in Brabant Wallon, where those aged 
50 or more accounted for 30% of the registered job-seekers in February 202313. More 
than half (53,3%) of LNSA former workers are older than 45.  

While the COVID-19 crisis has accelerated the search for more qualified workers in 
the  Belgian  labour  market14,  LNSA  workforce  is  essentially  made  up  of  handler 
profiles.  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 LNSA 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 economic situation (rise in inflation, increase in prices of raw materials 
and energy, etc.) influenced by the current  geopolitical context reduces enterprises’ 
margins  and  their  competitiveness.  For  2023,  IWEPS  (Wallonia's  Institute  for 
Evaluation, Foresight and Statistics) forecasts a limited increase for Wallonian GDP 
of  1,1%15 (1,4  percentage  points  less  than  in  2022).  In  these  circumstances,  LNSA 
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) 

23. 

24. 

10 

11 
12 
13 
14 

15 

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

Logistics  Nivelles  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 

Average of  2022 Q4. Source: Statbel. “Quarterly labour  market indicators  with regard to sex and age 
group absolute and relative figures (2017-2022 4th quarter). 
Le Forem, « Marché de l’emploi. Tendances et conjoncture en Wallonie ». Janvier 2023. 
Le Forem, « Emploi du temps. Photo locale de la demande d’emploi ». Février 2023. 
Ibid. 
Bodart,  V.  &  B.  Van  der  Linden  (2022),  Crise  du  COVID-19.  Rebond  économique  et  difficultés  de 
recrutement en Belgique. Regards économiques 168, UCLouvain. 
IWEPS, Perspectives économiques 2022-2027   

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25. 

26. 

for  redeployment  or  retraining  of  redundant  workers.  The  negotiations  secured  a 
specific budget of EUR 1 500 per worker to cover for retraining costs. 
Wallonia's regional legislation16 provides for specific support for redundant workers, 
in the form of a redeployment unit (cellule de reconversion)17 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 18  on  the  active  management  of  restructuring 
requires  enterprises  undergoing  restructuring  to  set  up  an  employment  unit  (cellule 
pour  l’emploi)19,  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, their representatives,  and 
the social partners, in compliance with Article 7(4) of Regulation (EU) 2021/691. 

Aiming to prepare a sound package of tailored measures to support  LNSA workers’ 
efforts  to  return  to  work,  Forem,  trade  unions  (FGTB 20  and  CSC 21 ),  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  603  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: 

16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 

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 less22  
Upper  secondary23 
or  post-secondary 
education24 

Tertiary 
education25 

Number of  
expected 
beneficiaries 

586 

(97,2 %) 

17 

0 

27 

(2,8 %) 

(0,0 %) 

(4,5 %) 

450 

126 

(74,6 %) 

(20,9 %) 

294 

(48,8 %) 

277 

(45,9 %) 

32 

(5,3 %) 

Proposed measures 

32. 

Pursuant  to  Article  8(7),  point  (h)  of  Regulation  (EU)  2021/691,  the  personalised 
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 Logistics Nivelles 
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, 
through  professionals 
specialised in assisting these groups. 

recognised  disability 

indebtedness,  or 

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 logistics workers26, is also on 

22 
23 
24 
25 
26 

ISCED 0-2 
ISCED 3 
ISCED 4 
ISCED 5-8 
The  module  for  access  to  digital  autonomy  developed  in  the  framework  of  the  EGF  intervention  in 
(EGF/2022/002  BE  TNT, 
support  of  workers  displaced 
COM(2023) 069). 

logistics  enterprise  TNT 

the 

in 

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– 

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, 
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 and development of the business activity with supporting documents. 

Incentives and allowances: (1) Job-search and training allowances. Workers 
will receive EUR 2 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 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 LNSA workers to improve their 
IT skills. (3) Bonus  for improving  languages  skills. Workers who follow an 
intensive  language  training  module  organized  by  Forem  or  a  language 
immersion course in an enterprise to improve their Dutch, English or German 
language  skills  as  part  of  a  specific  job  search  will  receive  a  lump  sum  of 
EUR 500. The objective of the bonus is to encourage the development of cross-
disciplinary  language  skills  to  facilitate  workers’  reintegration  into  jobs. 
(4) Return-to-school  allowance.  A  monthly  allowance  of  EUR 350  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 
significantly  gender-unbalanced. 
(5) 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. 

functions 27 ,  or 

to  critical 

33. 

34. 

27 

28 
29 

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 resources developped for former Swissport workers (EGF/2020/005 
BE)28 is 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 center29.  

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.  

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. 
COM(2021) 212. 
www.formation-environnement.be 

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35. 

36. 

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. 

Estimated budget 

37. 

38. 

39. 

The  estimated 
personalised  services  of  EUR 2 484 363  and  expenditure 
management, 
EUR 49 000. 

total  costs  are  EUR 2 533 363,  comprising  expenditure  for 
for  preparatory, 
information  and  publicity,  control  and  reporting  activities  of 

The total financial contribution requested from the EGF is EUR 2 153 358 (85 % of 
total costs). 

Pursuant  to  Article  8(7),  point  (m)  of  Regulation  (EU)  2021/691,  Belgium  has 
specified that the national pre-financing and co-funding is provided by Wallonia. 

Measures 

Estimated 
number of 
participants 

Estimated cost 
per participant 
(EUR)30 

Estimated total 
costs 
(EUR)31  

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) 

603 

2 924 

1 762 914 

300 

364 

109 20032 

60 

12 

2 028 

121 681 

10 000 

120 000 

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

– 

2 113 795 

(85,08 %) 

30 

31 
32 

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  LNSA’s 
specific budget for retraining referred to in point nº24. 

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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, prime langue, 
allocation de reprise d'études, allocation 
d'entrepreneuriat)   

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

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) 

603 

615 

370 568 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

370 568 

(14,92 %) 

033 

20 000 

15 000 

14 000 

49 000 

(1,93 %) 

2 533 363 

2 153 358 

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)  2021/691  do  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 
August  202234.  The  expenditure  on  the  measures  will  therefore  be  eligible  for  a 
financial  contribution  from  the  EGF  from  1  August  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 
22 September 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 22 September 2021 until 31 months after the date of 
the entry into force of the Financing Decision.  

33 
34 

Preparatory activities are financed by Forem’s operating budget for collective reconversions. 
Measures in support of workers made redundant within the six months before the start of the reference 
period. 

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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, 
LNSA, which has continued its activities after the lay-offs35, 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 202736. 

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 2 153 358, 
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 resources37. 

35 

36 
37 

LNSA  closed  down  its  work  premises  in  Wallonia.  However  it  continues  operations  in  its  Flemish 
premises.  
OJ L 433 I, 22.12.2020, p. 11. 
OJ L 433 I, 22.12.2020, p. 29. 

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10 

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Related acts 

49. 

50. 

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 2 153 358. 

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) 
2018/104638. 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. 

38 

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 

EN 

11 

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2023/0152 (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/2023/001 BE/ LNSA 

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 39 ,  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 resources40, 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)  2020/209341 
and Article 16 of Regulation (EU) 2021/691. 

On  17  February  2023,  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  Logistics  Nivelles  SA  and  one  supplier    in  Belgium.  It  was 
supplemented  by  additional  information  provided  in  accordance  with  Article 8(5)  of 
Regulation  (EU)  2021/691.  That  application  is  considered  to  comply  with  the 
conditions  for  providing  a  financial  contribution  from  the  EGF  as  laid  down  in 
Article 13 of Regulation (EU) 2021/691, on the basis of the assessment made by the 

39 
40 
41 

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). 

EN 

12 

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Commission  in  the  Proposal  for  a  mobilisation  decision  of  the  European  Parliament 
and of the Council42. 

The EGF should, therefore, be mobilised in order to provide a financial contribution of 
EUR 2 153 358 in respect of the application submitted by Belgium.  

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

(4) 

(5) 

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 2 153 358 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 

42 
⁕ 

COM(2023) 210. 
Date to be inserted by the Parliament before the publication in OJ. 

EN 

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