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/2024/001 BE/Match-Smatch
Date: 2024-09-16
Institutions: Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, European Commission
Subjects: Belgium, European Globalisation Adjustment Fund, Province of Hainault, Province of Liège, Province of Namur, commitment of expenditure, dismissal, employment aid, general budget (EU), globalisation, reintegration into working life, retail trade

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   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 16.9.2024  COM(2024) 275 final 2024/0226 (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/2024/001 BE/Match-Smatch  
 
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 3 June 2024, Belgium submitted an application EGF/2024/001 BE/Match-Smatch 
for a financial contribution from the EGF, following displacements in Match-Smatch 
supermarkets (Match SA. and Profi SA.) 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) 

Date of submission of the application 

EGF/2024/001 BE/Match-Smatch 

Belgium 
Province of Hainaut (BE32),  
Province of Liège (BE33), and 
Province of Namur (BE35) 
3 June 2024 

Date of acknowledgement of receipt of the 
application 

3 June 2024 

Date of request for additional information 

17 June 2024 

Deadline for provision of the additional 
information 

8 July 2024 

Deadline for the completion of the assessment 

17 September 2024 

Intervention criterion 

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

Primary enterprise 

Match-Smatch 

Number of enterprises concerned 

1 

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

Division 47 (Retail trade, except of 
motor vehicles and motorcycles) 

Reference period (four months): 

11 December 2023 – 11 April 2024 

Number of displacements during the reference 
period (a) 

444 

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 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) 

ASSESSMENT OF THE APPLICATION 

Procedure 

69 

513 

513 

365 
3 009 752 
121 500 
3 131 252 
2 661 564 

4. 

Belgium submitted application EGF/2024/001 BE/Match-Smatch 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  3  June  2024.  The  Commission 
acknowledged  receipt  of  the  application  the  same  date  and  requested  additional 
information  from  Belgium  on  17  June  2024.  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 17 September 2024.  

Eligibility of the application 

Enterprises and beneficiaries concerned 

5. 

The application relates to 513 displaced workers whose activity has ceased in Match-
Smatch4. This enterprise operates in the economic sector classified under the NACE 
Revision 2 division 47 (Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles. The 
redundancies  are  mainly    located  in  the  NUTS  2  regions  of  Province  of  Hainaut 
(BE32), Province of Liège (BE33), and Province of Namur (BE35). 

Intervention criteria 

6. 

7. 

8. 

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 11 December 2023 
to 11 April 2024. 

There were 444 displaced workers in Match-Smatch during the reference period.  

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 
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. 

4 

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

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Eligible beneficiaries 

10. 

In  addition  to  the  workers  already  referred  to,  the  eligible  beneficiaries  include  69 
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  and/or 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,  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.. 

11. 

The total number of eligible beneficiaries is 513. 

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

12. 

13. 

14. 

15. 

16. 

Match-Smatch faced a difficult economic situation for several years. In 2019, a first 
restructuring  led  to  the  closure  of  15  stores  and  140  redundancies.  In  2020,  the 
COVID-19 pandemic lead to a sharp increase of Match-Smatch's turnover, as well as 
in  the  retail  food  sector  in  general,  because  of  the  closure  of  the  hospitality  sector, 
rush to  buy food, etc.  This  exceptional  situation allowed Match-Smatch to  obtain  a 
positive net result of EUR 3,6 million. However, as the health situation was returning 
to normal, Match-Smatch again reported losses of EUR 11,9 million in 20215. 

In January 2022, an action plan was launched to  curb losses and put  the enterprise 
back on the path to financial balance. However, food trade was strongly affected by 
the  energy  and  inflationary  crisis.  As  a  result,  the  action  plan  failed  and  the  gross 
operating value reached a historic loss of EUR 36,5 million in 2022 and 9 shops had 
to close. 

Overall, the Belgian food retail sector recorded a significant decline in volumes sold 
in  2023.  Increased  cross-border  shopping  and  e-commerce  are  part  of  the 
explanation. According to Comeos, the Belgian commerce and services association, 
border  purchases  in  France  increased  by  almost  70 %  in  Q1 2023,  compared  to 
Q1 20226 .  

To  prevent  a  further  accumulation  of  losses,  Match-Smatch  accepted  the  Colruyt 
Group’s offer to acquire 57 of the 84 stores, also taking over the stores' staff (1 069 
people).  Eight  additional  stores  went  to  Carrefour,  Delhaize,  Intermarché  and 
Delfood. 

The 339 employees of the 19 stores for which no buyer could be found, as well as the 
174  employees  of  the  Match-Smatch  headquarters,  were  subject  to  a  collective 
redundancy procedure.  

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

17. 

The  Match-Smatch  redundancies  concern  all  of  Belgium.  However,  the  territorial 
impact  of  the  redundancies  varies  due  to  the  differences  between  the  Flemish  and 
Walloon labour markets and because more than 70 % of the layoffs are concentrated 
in Wallonia. 

5 
6 

Works council of 22 September 2023 
Mémorandum électoral 2024 (New trends affecting trade and services and challenging economic times). 

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18. 

19. 

20. 

21. 

22. 

In  2023,  unemployment  rate  for  Belgium  as  a  whole  remained  at  5,5 %,  the  same 
level as in 2022. At the regional level, unemployment increased from 3,2 % to 3,4 % 
in Flanders and decreased from 8,4 % to 8,2 % in Wallonia. However, the difference 
of approximately 5 percentage points (pp) in the unemployment rate persists7. 
In the last quarter of 2023, the employment rate in  Flanders was  77,0 %8,  and thus 
1,5 pp  above  the  EU  average  of  75,5 %9,  whilst  the  employment  rate  in  Wallonia 
(66,7 %)  was  10,3 pp  lower  than  in  Flanders  and  about  9 pp  lower  than  the  EU 
average10. 

Older workers are facing more  barriers to  employment. In the last quarter of 2023, 
there was a difference of 18,3 pp between the employment rate for the age group 20-
54  (76,8 %)  and  the  employment  rate  for  the  age  group  55+  (58,5 %)  at  national 
level11. In the Walloon labour market, the registered job seekers aged fifty or  older 
represent  25 %  of  the  total  job  seekers  in  March  202412.  About  half  of  the  Match-
Smatch redundant workers (46 %) are aged fifty or older. 

The  Match-Smatch  workforce  is  essentially  made  up  of  cashiers  and  warehouse 
workers. The economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the 
demand for more qualified workers in the Belgian labour market13, making it more 
difficult for the former Match-Smatch workers to reintegrate into employment. 

Belgium  applied  for  EGF  co-financing  solely  to  support  former  Match-Smatch 
workers living in Wallonia. The Flemish regional authorities consider that there is no 
need  to  top-up  the  support  available  to  former  Match-Smatch  workers  living  in 
Flanders  with  EU  co-financing  from  the  EGF,  given  the  situation  on  the  regional 
labour market. 

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

(QFR) 

23. 

24. 

25. 

7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 

14 
15 

Belgium  has  described  how  the  recommendations  set  out  in  the  EU  Quality 
Framework  for  anticipation  of  change  and  restructuring14  have  been  taken  into 
account. 

Match-Smatch  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  negotiations  secured  a 
specific budget of EUR 533 500 to cover for retraining costs. 
Belgium  has  reported  that  national  labour  law15  on  the  active  management  of 
restructuring requires  enterprises undergoing restructuring to  set  up an employment 

Statbel. Emploi et chômage (13.6.2024) 
Statbel. Emploi et chômage (13.6.2024) 
Eurostat.EU labor market quaterly statistics. 
Statbel. Emploi et chômage (13.6.2024). Chiffres. 
Statbel. Emploi et chômage (13.6.2024). Chiffres. 
Le Forem, « Emploi du temps. Photo locale de la demande d’emploi ». May 2024. 
Bodart,  V.  &  B.  Van  der  Linden  (2022),  Crise  du  COVID-19.  Rebond  économique  et  difficultés  de 
recrutement en Belgique. Regards économiques 168, UCLouvain. 
EU Quality Framework for anticipation of change and restructuring 
The Royal Decree (Arrêté Royal) of 10 November 2006 amending the Royal Decree of 9 March 2006. 

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26. 

unit  (cellule  pour  l’emploi)16,  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 over six months for workers aged 45+). 
Wallonia's regional legislation17 provides for specific support for redundant workers, 
in the form of a redeployment unit (cellule de reconversion)18 by the Regional Public 
Employment and Vocational Training Service (Le Forem), at the request of workers’ 
representative organisations. The redeployment unit does not constitute an obligation 
for  the  employer,  nor  for  Le  Forem.  The  implementation  of  the  EGF  co-financed 
measures will be managed through such a redeployment unit. 

27. 

Belgium  has  reported  that  the  redeployment  unit  was  set  up  on  1  January  2024, 
shortly after the first redundancies.  

Complementarity with actions funded by national or Union funds 

28. 

29. 

Belgium  has  confirmed  that  the  measures  described  below  receiving  a  financial 
contribution from the EGF will not 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 25).  

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

30. 

31. 

Belgium  has  indicated  that  the  co-ordinated  package  of  personalised  services  has 
been  drawn  up  in  consultation  with  targeted  beneficiaries,  their  representatives,  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  the  Match-
Smatch  workers’  efforts  to  return  to  work,  Le  Forem,  trade  unions  (FGTB19  and 
CSC20),  and  other  partners  met  on  17  January,  5  February  and  19  March  2024,  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 complies with Article 7(4) of Regulation 
(EU) 2021/691. 

Targeted beneficiaries and proposed measures 

Targeted beneficiaries 

32. 

The estimated number of displaced workers expected to participate in the measures is 
365. 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: 

Category 

Number of  
expected 
beneficiaries 

Gender: 

Men: 

238 

(65,2 %) 

16 
17 
18 
19 
20 

Le Forem. Restructuring event: employment units. 
Wallonia Government Decree of 29 January 2004, as amended by the Decree of 30 April 2009. 
Le Forem. Restructuring event: redeployment units. 
Fédération générale du travail de Belgique. 
Conféderation des syndicats chrétiens. 

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Women: 

Non-binary 

Age group: 

Below 30 years: 

Educational 
level 

30-54 years: 

Over 54 years: 

Lower  secondary 
education or less21  
Upper  secondary22 
or  post-secondary 
education23 

Tertiary 
education24 

127 

(34,8 %) 

0 

28 

222 

115 

(0,0 %) 

(7,7 %) 

(60,8 %) 

(31,5 %) 

110 

(30,1 %) 

192 

(52,6 %) 

63 

(17,3 %) 

Proposed measures 

33. 

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  Match-Smatch 
former  workers  carried  out  by  Le  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 will be proposed. 

Training,  retraining  and  vocational  training:  Workers  will  have  access  to  the 
standard  training  offer  of  Le  Forem  and  its  partners.  In  addition,  after  the 
profiling  and agreement  of individual projects  with  the vocational  counsellor, 
EGF  co-financed  specific  training  will  be  offered  to  cater  for  the  identified 
needs of the workers. 

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, on the basis of 
evidence  of  the  start  and  development  of  the  business  activity  (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 

21 
22 
23 
24 

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

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activities.  (2) Bonus  for  improving  IT  skills.  Workers  who  follow  both  the 
module  for  access  to  digital  autonomy  and  its  complementary  module  will 
receive  a  lump  sum  of  EUR 700  conditional  on  their  active  participation  and 
completion  of  the  training.  The  bonus  aims  to  reduce  digital  illiteracy  by 
encouraging  workers  to  improve  their  IT  skills.  (3) Bonus  for  improving 
language skills. Workers who follow language training to improve their Dutch, 
English  or  German  language  skills  as  part  of  a  specific  job  search,  allowing 
them  to  reach  a  higher  level  of  the  Common  European  Framework  of 
Reference  for  Languages  will  receive  a  lump  sum  of  EUR 700.  The  same 
applies  for  the  workers  whose  native  tongue  is  not  French  and  who  improve 
their French skills to a higher level. The objective of this bonus is to encourage 
the  development  of  cross-disciplinary  language  skills  to  facilitate  workers’ 
reintegration into the job market. (4) Return-to-school allowance. A monthly 
allowance  of  EUR 350  will  be  granted  to  workers  who  embark  on  full-time 
secondary  and  tertiary  studies,  or  qualifying  training,  regardless  of  their  age. 
(5) Allowance  towards  business  creation.  To  support  workers  while  setting 
up  their  business,  a  monthly  allowance  of  EUR 350  for  a  maximum  of  12 
months25 will be granted. (6) Hiring incentives. Enterprises recruiting former 
Match-Smatch  workers  aged  50+  will  receive  EUR 10 000  for  full-time 
permanent  contracts  or  fixed-term  contracts  up  to  6  months  followed  by 
permanent contracts. 

34. 

35. 

36. 

37. 

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)26  is  now  part  of  Le  Forem's  standard  training  offer  co-financed  by  ESF+. 
Therefore,  it  is  not  budgeted  in  this  proposal.  The  circular  economy  module  is 
complemented by a module on social economy also developed within the framework 
of an EGF case27. 

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. 

25 
26 
27 

18 months if a full-scale test is carried out.  
COM(2021) 212. 
EGF/2022/002 BE/TNT. COM(2023) 69 

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Estimated budget 

38. 

39. 

40. 

The  estimated 
personalised  services  of  EUR 3 009 752  and  expenditure 
management, 
EUR 121 500. 

total  costs  are  EUR 3 131 252,  comprising  expenditure  for 
for  preparatory, 
information  and  publicity,  control  and  reporting  activities  of 

The total financial contribution requested from the EGF is EUR 2 661 564 (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  Région 
Wallone. 

Measures 

Estimated 
number of 
participants 

Estimated cost 
per participant 
(EUR)28 

Estimated total 
costs 
(EUR)29  

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 
(Formation) 

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

Contribution to business creation 
(Bourse de lancement) 

365 

5 279 

1 926 807 

150 

208 

31 200 

45 

12 

3 594 

161 727 

10 000 

120 000 

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

– 

2 239 734 

(74,42 %) 

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 et subvention 50+)  

365 

2 110 

770 018 

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

– 

770 018 

(25,58 %) 

28 

29 

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. 

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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) 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

78 400 

13 000 

5 000 

25 100 

121 500 

(3,88 %) 

3 131 252 

2 661 564 

41. 

42. 

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 

43. 

44. 

Belgium  started providing  the personalised services  to  the targeted beneficiaries on 
1 January  2024.  The  expenditure  on  the  measures  will  therefore  be  eligible  for  a 
financial contribution from the EGF  from 1 January 2024 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 2023. 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 2023 until 31 months after the date of 
the entry into force of the Financing Decision.  

Management and control systems 

45. 

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 

46. 

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, 

any double financing will be prevented, 

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– 

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

BUDGETARY IMPLICATION 

Budgetary proposal 

47. 

48. 

49. 

The  EGF  shall  not  exceed  a  maximum  annual  amount  of  EUR 30  million  (in  2018 
prices), as laid down in Article 8 of Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093 of 
17  December  2020  laying  down  the  multiannual  financial  framework  for  the  years 
2021  to  202730  amended  by  Council  Regulation  (EU,  Euratom)  2024/765  of  29 
February 202431. 

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 2 661 564, 
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 resources32. 

Related acts 

50. 

51. 

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 2 661 564. 

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) 
2018/104633. 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. 

30 
31 
32 
33 

OJ L 433 I, 22.12.2020, p. 11. 
OJ L 2024/765, 29.2.2024, p 4.  
OJ L 433 I, 22.12.2020, p. 28. 
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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2024/0226 (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/2024/001 BE/Match-Smatch 

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 1309/201334,  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 resources35, 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 30  million  (in  2018 
prices), as laid down in Article 8 of Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/209336, 
amended  by  Council  Regulation  (EU,  Euratom)  2024/76537,  and  Article  16  of 
Regulation (EU) 2021/691. 

On 3 June 2024, 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  Match-Smatch  (Match  SA.  and  Profi  SA.)  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 Commission in the Proposal for 
a mobilisation decision of the European Parliament and of the Council38. 

34 
35 
36 

37 
38 

OJ L 153, 3.5.2021, p. 48. 
OJ L 433 I, 22.12.2020, p. 28. 
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). 
OJ L 2024/765, 29.2.2024, p 4. 
COM(2024) 275. 

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(4) 

(5) 

The EGF should, therefore, be mobilised in order to provide a financial contribution of 
EUR 2 661 564 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, 

HAVE ADOPTED THIS DECISION:  

For the general budget of the Union for the financial year 2024, the European Globalisation 
Adjustment  Fund  for  Displaced  Workers  shall  be  mobilised  to  provide  the  amount  of  
EUR 2 661 564 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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