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/2024/003 BE/Van Hool
Date: 2025-03-26
Institutions: Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, European Commission
Subjects: Belgium, European Globalisation Adjustment Fund, Province of Antwerp, commitment of expenditure, dismissal, employment aid, general budget (EU), globalisation, motor vehicle industry, reintegration into working life

EN 

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   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 26.3.2025  COM(2025) 1 final 2025/0061 (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/2024/003 BE/Van Hool  
 
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 29 October 2024, Belgium submitted an application EGF/2024/003 BE/Van Hool 
for a financial contribution from the EGF, following displacements in Van Hool NV 
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 

Date  of  acknowledgement  of  receipt  of  the 
application 

EGF/2024/003 BE/Van Hool 

Belgium 
Provincie Antwerpen (BE21) 

29 October 2024 

29 October 2024 

Date of request for additional information 

17 December 2024 

Deadline for provision of the additional 
information 

9 January 2025 

Deadline for the completion of the assessment 

3 April 2025 

Intervention criterion 

Primary enterprise 

Number of enterprises concerned 

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

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

Van Hool 

1 

Division 29 (Manufacture of motor 
vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers) 

Reference period (four months): 

8 April 2024 – 8 August 2024 

Number of displacements during the reference 
period (a) 

2 411 

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. 

EN 

1 

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

0 

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) 

2 411 

2 411 

2 397 
9 034 607 
376 000 
9 410 607 
7 999 015 

ASSESSMENT OF THE APPLICATION 

Procedure 

4. 

Belgium submitted application EGF/2024/003 BE/Van Hool 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  29  October  2024.  The  Commission  acknowledged 
receipt of the application on the same date. The Commission was in possession of the 
translation  of  the  application  on  3  December  2024  and  requested  additional 
information  from  Belgium  on 17 December 2024. Such additional information  was 
provided after an extension of the deadline by 10 working days at the duly justified 
request  of  Belgium.  The  deadline  of  50  working  days  from  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 3 April 2025.  

Eligibility of the application 

Enterprises and beneficiaries concerned 

5. 

The application relates to 2 411 displaced workers whose activity has ceased in Van 
Hool NV. The enterprise operated in the economic sector classified under the NACE 
Revision  2  division  29  (Manufacture  of  motor  vehicles,  trailers  and  semi-trailers). 
The redundancies made by Van Hool are located in the NUTS 2 region of Provincie 
Antwerpen (BE21). 

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 or self-employed persons over a reference period of four 
months, in an enterprise in a Member State, including workers displaced in suppliers 
and downstream producers. .  

The reference period of four months for the application runs from 8 April 2024 to 8 
August 2024. 

There were 2 411 displaced workers in Van Hool during the reference period. 

Calculation of displacements and of cessation of activity 

9. 

4 

EN 

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 

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

2 

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displaced workers during the reference period has been calculated as from the date of 
the de facto termination of the contract of employment or its expiry. 

Eligible beneficiaries 

10. 

The total number of eligible beneficiaries is 2 411. 

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

11. 

12. 

The displacements in Van Hool are related to various factors such as  the impact of 
the COVID-19 pandemic on coach demand and the impact of the war in Ukraine on 
cost structure. 

Between  2012-2019,  Van  Hool’s  average  sales  in  Europe  were  427  units  per  year. 
Sales declined to 287 units in 2020 and further to 128 in 20215 due to the impact the 
pandemic had on the demand for  coaches.  Profits consequently fell sharply.  Rising 
inflation  and  disrupted  supply  chains  further  increased  pressure  on  the  enterprise’s 
margins. Sales recovered in 2022 and 2023, but remained at levels close to or below 
those of 2020. Pre-pandemic sales levels were never regained. 

13. 

Van Hool was declared bankrupt by the Commercial Court of Mechelen on 8 April 
2024. As a consequence, 2 411 workers were made redundant. 

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

14. 

15. 

16. 

17. 

According  to  the  Federation  of  Belgian  Enterprises  (VBO),  the  Belgian  industry  is 
currently at a low ebb. In the first half of 2024, more than 5 000 jobs were lost in the 
industrial  sector  due  to  restructuring  and  bankruptcy  of  companies  such  as 
Decathlon, Pfizer, Barry Callebaut, Audi and Sappi.  

The  industrial  sector  has  traditionally  played  an  important  role  in  Lier  (Mechelen 
district  in  the  Region  of  Antwerp),  which  is  why  the  industrial  decline  is  having  a 
significant impact on Lier’s labour market. More than 25 % of the jobs in Lier were 
linked  to  industry  in  2020.  Three  years  later,  in  2023,  the  percentage  had  dropped 
more than three percentage points. This downward trend is confirmed by a decrease 
in the number of vacancies reported to the Flemish employment services (VDAB6) in 
relation  to  Lier.  In  2023,  vacancies  in  the  industrial  and  non-industrial  sectors 
decreased by 13% and 14% respectively compared to 2022.  

Most of Van Hool's former workers live in Lier and the surrounding municipalities. 
The enterprise’s closure has led to a significant disruption to the local labour market. 
According  to  VDAB,  in  April  2024  ― the  month  in  which  Van  Hool  filed  for 
bankruptcy ―, unemployment rose by 32 % in Berlaar, 23 % in Heist-op-den-Berg, 
17 %  in  Nijlen  and  14 %  in  Lier,  leaving  one  in  ten  working-age  residents 
unemployed in Lier and Berlaar. 

While  technically  qualified  workers  are  returning  to  work  relatively  quickly  in  the 
region,  low  skilled  and  older  workers  have  far  fewer  opportunities  to  re-enter  the 
labour  market.  The  redundancies  in  Van  Hool  hit  these  vulnerable  groups  the 
hardest. One in three dismissed workers is over 50 years old and eight out of ten have 
secondary  education  or  less,  and  outdated  skills.  Targeted  assistance  focusing  on 
upskilling  and  retraining  is  needed  to  increase  the  chances  of  workers  returning  to 
work. 

5 
6 

Source: Sustainable Bus. 
Vlaamse Dienst voor Arbeidsbemiddeling en Beroepsopleiding (VDAB). 

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3 

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

(QFR) 

18. 

19. 

20. 

Belgium  has  described  how  the  recommendations  set  out  in  the  EU  Quality 
Framework  for  anticipation  of  change  and  restructuring  have  been  taken  into 
account. 
Belgium  has  reported  that  national  labour  law7  on  the  active  management  of 
restructuring requires  enterprises undergoing restructuring to  set  up an employment 
unit,  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+).  However,  this  requirement  does  not 
apply in the event of bankruptcy. 

Regarding  the  activities  undertaken  to  assist  the  displaced  workers,  Belgium  has 
reported that the first measures to support the workers (information and registration 
sessions)  were  launched  on  22  April  2024,  two  weeks  after  the  bankruptcy. 
Outplacement services and a job fair8 were organised shortly afterwards.  

Complementarity with actions funded by national or Union funds 

21. 

22. 

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. 

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

23. 

24. 

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  the  efforts  of 
former  Van  Hool  workers  to  return  to  work,  the  workers  representatives  General 
Labour Federation of Belgium (ABVV)9, ABVV Metaal, Confederation of Christian 
Trade  Unions  (ACV)10,  and  General  Confederation  of  Liberal  Trade  Unions  of 
Belgium (ACLVB)11 were consulted in meetings held on 29 March and 5 April 2024. 

Targeted beneficiaries and proposed measures 

Targeted beneficiaries 

25. 

The estimated number of displaced workers expected to participate in the measures is 
2 397. 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 

7 
8 
9 
10 
11 

The Royal Decree of 10 November 2006 amending the Royal Decree of 9 March 2006 
The job-fair took place in the Nekkerhal in Mechelen, on 28 May 2024 
Algemeen Belgisch Vakverbond. 
Algemeen Christelijk Vakverbond. 
Algemene Centrale der Liberale Vakbonden van België.  

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Gender: 

Men: 

Women: 

Non-binary 

beneficiaries 

2 145 

(89,5 %) 

252 

(10.5 %) 

0 

(0,0 %) 

Age group: 

Below 30 years: 

159 

(6,6 %) 

Educational 
level12 

30-54 years: 

Over 54 years: 

Lower  secondary 
education or less13  
Upper  secondary14 
or  post-secondary 
education15 

Tertiary 
education16 

1 354 

(56,5 %) 

884 

(36,9 %) 

568 

(23,7 %) 

1 483 

(61,9 %) 

346 

(14,4 %) 

Proposed measures 

26. 

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:  

– 

– 

Social  Intervention  Advisor  (SIA)  and  workers  registration:  Information 
sessions in which social intervention advisors inform workers about the support 
available to facilitate their transition to employment and worker registration are 
the first services offered to all laid-off workers. 

Outplacement: In Belgium, the personalised packages of measures co-financed 
by  the  EGF  complement  the  legal  obligation  for  employers  described  in 
paragraph  19.  However,  since  the  redundancies  occurred  as  a  result  of  the 
enterprise’s  bankruptcy,  former  Van  Hool  workers  do  not  receive  such 
services.  This  outplacement  measure  will  provide  all  redundant  workers, 
regardless  of  their  age,  with  60  hours  of  outplacement  services.  Services 
include administrative and psychological support, personal assessment sessions 
(what can I do, what do I want to do, etc.), digital skills assessment, job search 
assistance  or  assistance  towards  self-employment,  advice  on  negotiating 
employment contracts, etc.  

Digitally  illiterates  will  receive  basic  ICT  training  and  additional  support 
through digibanks, where workers can borrow a laptop, receive training on how 
to use it and get answers to their digital questions. Webinars and other online 
tools, such as 123digit.be, will help those who already have some digital skills 
to improve them.  

12 
13 
14 
15 
16 

For 346 workers the educational level was not known at the time of application. 
ISCED 0-2 
ISCED 3 
ISCED 4 
ISCED 5-8 

EN 

5 

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– 

– 

– 

– 

Job-search support and job placement: Along with job-search support and help 
to  prepare  for  future  job  applications,  this  measure  includes  organising  job 
search events, like job fairs, and job scouting to locate potential job vacancies 
that may suit former Van Hool workers. 

Vocational  guidance:  Various  vocational  guidance  services  are  on  offer  to 
cover general guidance needs or shortcomings such as not having a realistic job 
goal,  not  meeting labour market  requirements  or having  a poor knowledge of 
Dutch. 

Training,  retraining  and  vocational  training:  Upon  agreement  of  individual 
projects with the vocational counsellor, specific training will be offered to cater 
for  the  identified  needs.  Workers  will  also  have  access  to  a  wide  range  of 
training that includes the training offered by VDAB or by training providers.  

Training at the workplace: Workers receive on-the-job training at the enterprise 
that will employ them after training. Depending on the needs of the worker, the 
training  can  last  between  4  and  26  weeks.  Training  is  followed  by  an 
employment  contract,  either  permanent  or  fixed  term  of  at  least  the  same 
duration as the training.  

The  ICT  training  and  additional  support  foreseen  within  the  outplacement  services 
caters for the dissemination of the skills required in the digital industrial age and in a 
resource-efficient  economy,  as  required  by  Article  7(2)  of  Regulation  (EU) 
2021/691. 

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.  

Regarding  the  activities  already  undertaken  for  the  assistance  of  the  displaced 
workers,  Belgium  informed  that  the  employer's  legal  obligation  to  provide 
outplacement  services  to  the  redundant  workers  does  not  apply  due  to  the 
enterprise’s bankruptcy. However, support to the workers started two weeks after the 
redundancies, as described in paragraph 20. 

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. 

27. 

28. 

29. 

30. 

Estimated budget 

31. 

32. 

33. 

The  estimated 
personalised  services  of  EUR 9 034 607  and  expenditure 
management, 
EUR 376 000. 

total  costs  are  EUR 9 410 607,  comprising  expenditure  for 
for  preparatory, 
information  and  publicity,  control  and  reporting  activities  of 

The total financial contribution requested from the EGF is EUR 7 999 015 (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 VDAB. 

Measures 

Estimated 
number of 

Estimated cost 
per participant 

Estimated total 
costs 

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

participants 

(EUR)17 

(EUR)18  

Social Intervention Advisor and workers' 
registration 
(SIA, Inschrijving bij VDAB) 

Outplacement 
(Bemiddeling en begeleiding naar werk: 
Outplacementbegeleiding SIF)  

Job-search support and job placement  
(Actieve bemiddeling en begeleiding naar 
werk, organisatie jobbeurs)  

Vocational guidance 
(Bemiddeling en begeleiding naar werk via 
tenderpartners) 

Training, retraining and vocational training 
(Aanbod opleidingen in eigen beheer, aanbod 
erkende opleidingen bij partners, opleidingen 
ikv SIF budget)  

Training at the workplace 
(Opleiding in de onderneming (IBO))  

2 397 

84 

200 741 

2 397 

1 252 

3 000 000 

1 000 

937 

937 083 

100 

4 500 

450 000 

450 

9 839 

4 427 583 

20 

960 

19 200 

Sub-total (a): 
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 (b): 
Percentage of the total costs : 

Total costs (a + b): 

EGF contribution (85 % of total costs) 

Period of eligibility of expenditure 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

9 034 607 

(100 %) 

50 000 

160 000 

8 000 

158 000 

376 000 

(4,00 %) 

9 410 607 

7 999 015 

34. 

Belgium  started providing the  personalised services to  the targeted beneficiaries on 
22  April  2024.  The  expenditure  on  the  measures  will  therefore  be  eligible  for  a 
financial  contribution  from  the  EGF  from  22  April  2024  until  24  months  after  the 
date of the entry into force of the Financing Decision. 

17 

18 

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. 

EN 

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35. 

Belgium  started  incurring  the  administrative  expenditure  to  implement  the  EGF  on 
14  March  2024.  The  expenditure  for  preparatory,  management,  information  and 
publicity,  control  and  reporting  activities  shall  therefore  be  eligible  for  a  financial 
contribution from the EGF from 14 March 2024 until 31 months after the date of the 
entry into force of the Financing Decision.   

Management and control systems 

36. 

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  by  VDAB.  The  payments  will  be  made  by 
VDAB’s  financial  service.  The  Department  of  Finance  and  Budget  -  Audit  Unit  of 
the Flemish Audit Authority for the European Structural Funds is the audit authority 
for the EGF.  

Commitments provided by the Member State concerned 

37. 

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, 

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

BUDGETARY IMPLICATION 

Budgetary proposal 

38. 

39. 

40. 

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  202719  amended  by  Council  Regulation  (EU,  Euratom)  2024/765  of  29 
February 202420. 

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 7 999 015, 
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 
the  European 
Interinstitutional  Agreement  of  16  December  2020  between 
Parliament,  the  Council  of  the  European  Union  and  the  European  Commission  on 
budgetary  discipline,  on  cooperation  in  budgetary  matters  and  on  sound  financial 

19 
20 

OJ L 433 I, 22.12.2020, p. 11. 
OJ L 2024/765, 29.2.2024, p 4.  

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8 

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management,  as  well  as  on  new  own  resources,  including  a  roadmap  towards  the 
introduction of new own resources21. 

Related acts 

41. 

42. 

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 7 999 015. 

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) 
2024/250922. 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. 

21 
22 

OJ L 433 I, 22.12.2020, p. 28. 
Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 
2024  on  the  financial  rules  applicable  to  the  general  budget  of  the  Union  (recast),  OJ  L,  2024/2509, 
26.9.2024. 

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2025/0061 (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/2024/003 BE/Van Hool 

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 1309/201323,  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 resources24, 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)  2020/209325 
amended  by  Council  Regulation  (EU,  Euratom)  2024/76526,  and  Article  16  of 
Regulation (EU) 2021/691. 

On  29  October  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 Van Hool 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 Council27.  

23 
24 
25 

26 
27 

OJ L 153, 3.5.2021, p. 48. 
OJ L 433 I, 22.12.2020, p. 28 
Council  Regulation  (EU,  Euratom)  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(2025) 001 

EN 

1 

  EN 

 
(4) 

(5) 

The EGF should, therefore, be mobilised in order to provide a financial contribution of 
EUR 7 999 015 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 2025, the European Globalisation 
Adjustment  Fund  for  Displaced  Workers  shall  be  mobilised  to  provide  the  amount  of 
EUR 7 999 015 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. 

EN 

2 

  EN