P9_TA(2023)0414 – Mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund – application EGF/2023/002 BE/Makro - Belgium – European Parliament resolution of 22 November 2023 on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (application from Belgium – EGF/2023/002 BE/Makro) (COM(2023)0470 – C9-0369/2023 – 2023/0352(BUD))
Date: 2023-11-22
Institutions: Committee on Budgets, Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, Committee on Regional Development, European Parliament
Subjects: Belgium, European Globalisation Adjustment Fund, Flanders (Belgium), Walloon region (Belgium), commitment of expenditure, dismissal, employment aid, general budget (EU), globalisation, reintegration into working life, retail trade








C_202404239EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2024/4239


24.7.2024






P9_TA(2023)0414

Mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund – application EGF/2023/002 BE/Makro - Belgium


European Parliament resolution of 22 November 2023 on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (application from Belgium – EGF/2023/002 BE/Makro) (COM(2023)0470 – C9-0369/2023 – 2023/0352(BUD))

(C/2024/4239)



The European Parliament,







—


having regard to the Commission proposal to the European Parliament and the Council (COM(2023)0470 – C9-0369/2023),










—


having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/691 (1) 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 (“EGF Regulation”),










—


having regard to Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093 of 17 December 2020 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2021-2027 (2), and in particular Article 8 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 resources (3), and in particular point 9 thereof,










—


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










—


having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgets (A9-0351/2023),










A.


whereas the Union has set up legislative and budgetary instruments to provide additional support to workers who are suffering from the consequences of major structural changes in world trade patterns or of the global financial and economic crisis, and to assist their reintegration into the labour market; whereas this assistance is made through a financial support given to workers and the companies for which they worked;










B.


whereas Belgium submitted application EGF/2023/002 BE/Makro for a financial contribution from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF), following 1 431 redundancies (4) in the economic sector classified under the NACE Revision 2 division 47 (Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles) in the provinces Antwerp, East Flanders, Flemish Brabant, Hainaut and Liège within a reference period for the application from 10 January 2023 to 10 May 2023;










C.


whereas the application relates to 1 431 workers made redundant in the company Makro Cash & Carry Belgium NV (Makro NV);










D.


whereas the application is based on the intervention criteria of Article 4(2), point (a), of the EGF Regulation, which requires at least 200 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 and/or self-employed persons whose activity has ceased;










E.


whereas the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine have reduced economic competitiveness and have a negative impact on economic growth in Belgium;










F.


whereas Makro NV used to run eleven stores for food and non-food products open to food and beverage services professionals (”Metro” brand) and six such stores open to general customers (“Makro” brand); whereas following years of financial difficulties and declining sales Makro NV applied for judicial reorganisation in 2022; whereas the redundancies resulted from the absence of any sound offer for taking over the Makro brand and its subsequent bankruptcy;










G.


whereas the requirements of the Belgian law on the active management of restructuring that foresee outplacement services to redundant workers do not apply in the event of bankruptcy;










H.


whereas financial contributions from the EGF should be primarily directed at active labour market policy measures and personalised services that aim to reintegrate beneficiaries rapidly into decent and sustainable employment within or outside their initial sector of activity, while preparing them for a greener and more digital European economy;










I.


whereas the EGF shall not exceed a maximum annual amount of EUR 186 million (in 2018 prices), as laid down in Article 8 of Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093;













1.


Agrees with the Commission that the conditions set out in Article 4(2), point (a), of the EGF Regulation are met and that Belgium is entitled to a financial contribution of EUR 2 828 223 under that Regulation, which represents 85 % of the total cost of EUR 3 327 322, comprising expenditure for personalised services of EUR 3 233 822 and expenditure for preparatory, management, information and publicity, control and reporting activities of EUR 93 500;












2.


Notes that the Belgian authorities submitted the application on 3 July 2023, and that, following the provision of additional information by Belgium, the Commission finalised its assessment on 12 October 2023 and notified it to Parliament on the same day;












3.


Notes that the application relates to 1 431 workers made redundant in the company Makro Cash & Carry Belgium NV; notes further that 421 workers will be targeted beneficiaries in total, corresponding to the number of former Makro workers in Wallonia while the Flemish regional authorities consider that there is no need to top-up the support available to former Makro workers in Flanders with co-financing from the EGF, given the situation on its regional labour market;












4.


Takes note that the displacements in Makro are particularly impacting workers that are over 50 years old and/or low skilled; points to the fact that the unemployment rate in Wallonia stand at 8,8 % and over half (55,1 %) of the people in this region who were unemployed in the first quarter of 2022 are still unemployed one year later; highlights that 65 % of Makro former workers are older than 50 years and the majority of Makro workforce was essentially made up of cashiers and warehouse workers; stresses that for these workers it is especially difficult to re-integrate into employment;












5.


Welcomes the fact that the co-ordinated package of personalised services was drawn up by Belgium in consultation with targeted beneficiaries, their representatives and social partners, in compliance with Article 7(4) of Regulation (EU) 2021/691;












6.


Recalls that personalised services to be provided to the workers and self-employed persons consist of the following actions: information services, occupational guidance and outplacement assistance, training, retraining and vocational training, support towards and contribution to business creation, as well as incentives and allowances; welcomes that particular attention will be paid to vulnerable people in a situation of psychological distress, indebtedness, or disability through professionals specialised in assisting these groups;












7.


Welcomes the inclusion of a module on circular economy and efficient use of resources that was developed for former Swissport workers (EGF/2020/005 BE), as part of the Regional Public Employment and Vocational Training Service (Forem) standard training offer, which will be co-financed by the ESF+; reiterates in this context the important role the Union should play in providing the necessary qualifications for the just transformation in line with the European Green Deal; strongly supports the fact that, during the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework period, the EGF will continue to show solidarity with persons affected, while shifting the focus from the cause of restructuring to its impact and calls for future applications to maximise policy coherence;












8.


Notes that Belgium started providing personalised services to the targeted beneficiaries on 1 February 2023 and that the period of eligibility for a financial contribution from the EGF will therefore be from 1 February 2023 until 24 months after the date of the entry into force of the financing decision;












9.


Notes that Belgium started incurring administrative expenditure to implement the EGF on 1 January 2023 and that expenditure for preparatory, management, information and publicity, control and reporting activities shall therefore be eligible for a financial contribution from the EGF from 10 January 2023 until 31 months after the date of the entry into force of the financing decision;












10.


Stresses that the Belgian authorities have confirmed that the eligible actions do not receive assistance from other Union funds or financial instruments, and that the principles of equality of treatment and non-discrimination will be respected in the access to the proposed actions and their implementation;












11.


Reiterates that assistance from the EGF must not replace actions which are the responsibility of companies, by virtue of national law or collective agreements, or any allowances or rights of the displaced workers, to ensure full additionality of the allocation;












12.


Approves the decision annexed to this resolution;












13.


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












14.


Instructs its President to forward this resolution, including its Annex, to the Council and the Commission;






(1)  
            OJ L 153, 3.5.2021, p. 48.

(2)  
            OJ L 433 I, 22.12.2020, p. 11.

(3)  
            OJ L 433 I, 22.12.2020, p. 28.

(4)  Within the meaning of Article 3 of the EGF Regulation.





ANNEX


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/2023/002 BE/Makro


(The text of this annex is not reproduced here since it corresponds to the final act, Decision (EU) 2023/2748.)




ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2024/4239/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)