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/2025/007 BE/Casa
Date: 2026-02-06
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, reintegration into working life, retail trade, storage

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   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 6.2.2026  COM(2026) 3 final 2026/0038 (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/2025/007 BE/Casa  
 
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  23  September  2025,  Belgium  submitted  an  application  EGF/2025/007 BE/Casa 
for  a  financial  contribution  from  the  EGF,  following  displacements  in  Casa2  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 (NUTS3 level 2) 

EGF/2025/007 BE/Casa 

Belgium 
Province of Antwerp (BE21) 

Date of submission of the application 

23 September 2025 

Date of acknowledgement of receipt of the 
application 

23 September 2025 

Date when the translation was available 

22 October 2025 

Date of request for additional information 

5 November 2025 

Deadline for provision of the additional 
information 

27 November 2025 

Deadline for the completion of the assessment 

17 February 2026 

Intervention criterion 

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

Primary enterprise 

Casa International NV 

Number of enterprises concerned 

2 

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

Division 47 (Retail trade, except of 
motor vehicles and motorcycles) and 
Division 52 (Warehousing and 
support activities for transportation) 

1 
2 

3 

4 

OJ L 153, 3.5.2021, p. 48. 
The  displacements  took  place  in  the  two  companies  of  the  Casa  consortium,  Casa  International  and 
Casa Logistics. 
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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Reference period (four months): 

6 March 2025 – 6 July 2025 

Number of displacements during the reference 
period (a) 

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) 

416 

416 

416 
2 168 980 
86 000 
2 254 980 
1 916 733 

ASSESSMENT OF THE APPLICATION 

Procedure 

4. 

Belgium submitted application EGF/2025/007 BE/Casa 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  23  September  2025.  The  Commission  acknowledged 
receipt of the  application  the same date. The Commission  was in  possession of the 
translation  of  the  application  on  22  October  2025  and  requested  additional 
information  from  Belgium  on  5  November  2025.  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 February 2026. 

Eligibility of the application 

Enterprises and beneficiaries concerned 

5. 

The application relates to 416 displaced workers whose activity has ceased in Casa. 
The enterprise operates in the economic sectors classified under the NACE Revision 
2  division  47  (Retail  trade,  except  of  motor  vehicles  and  motorcycles)  and  52 
(Warehousing and support activities for transportation). The redundancies are located 
in the NUTS 2 region of Province of Antwerp (BE21). 

Enterprises and number of displacements within the reference period 

Casa International NV (retail trade) 
Casa Logistics NV (warehousing)  
Total no. of enterprises: 2 

Total no. of displacements:  

Total no. of self-employed persons whose activity has ceased:  

Total no. of eligible workers and self-employed persons:  

257 
159 

416 

0 

416 

Intervention criteria 

6. 

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 

5 

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

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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 6 March 2025 to 6 
July 2025. 

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

7. 

8. 

– 

– 

257 displaced workers in Casa International, 

159 displaced workers in Casa Logistics. 

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. 

Eligible beneficiaries 

10. 

The total number of eligible beneficiaries is 416. 

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

11. 

12. 

13. 

14. 

Casa comprises two companies: Casa International with 65 retail outlets throughout 
Belgium, and Casa Logistics responsible for storage and distribution to these outlets. 

The displacements are the result of the financial difficulties that Casa has been facing 
for  several  years,  partly  because  of  the  strongly  increased  role  of  e-commerce. 
International  competition  has  also  intensified,  resulting  in  creditor  protection  being 
sought  in  2020.  Casa  was  sold  to  Globitas  in  2021  and  re-sold  to  the  Swedish 
company AAS Retail in 2024.  

Casa  then  got  into  financial  difficulties  again  due  to  an  acute  shortage  of  liquidity, 
resulting in clearance sales in shops in the summer of 2024 and the loss of various 
jobs in the marketing department at the headquarters in Olen. At the end of October 
2024,  Casa  again  applied  to  the  Commercial  Court  for  six  months  of  creditor 
protection, for the purposes of a possible restart. 

There  were  no  serious  potential  purchasers  of  the  company,  and  Casa  International 
and Casa Logistics were declared bankrupt by the Antwerp Commercial Court on 6 
March 2025, resulting in 416 workers losing their jobs.  

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

15. 

In 2024, more than 11 000 companies went bankrupt in Belgium, an increase of 8% 
on  2023  and  the  highest  number  since  20136.  In  Flanders  alone,  more  than  6 000 
businesses were declared bankrupt. The number of jobs  lost due to  bankruptcies in 
2024 was estimated at a total of 29 245, of which 60% in Flanders. In the first half of 
2025, again more than 15 000 jobs were lost due to bankruptcies in Belgium, 51% of 
them in Flanders7.  

16. 

Casa’s 63 shops are spread across Flanders and Brussels, but both the headquarters 
and the distribution centre are located in Olen (Province of Antwerp). About half of 

6 

7 

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Source: Statbel (bankruptcies in 2024) 

Source: Statbel (Bankruptcies and job losses in Belgium by month)   

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17. 

18. 

19. 

the  affected  employees  are  around  Belgium  and  the  other  half  concentrated  in  the 
distribution centre and head office. As a result of this concentration, employment in 
the Olen region has been hit particularly hard. 

In the Neteland region, of which Olen is part, the number of job vacancies reported 
to  the public employment  services  has fallen  by  11% over the period June 2024 to 
May 2025 compared with the previous 12 months, and the number of jobseekers has 
increased by 7% in August 2025 compared with April 2024.  

The workers who have lost their jobs are mainly sales assistants and warehouse staff. 
Despite the number of vacancies for direct employment in the retail sector (including 
wholesale)  falling  in  Flanders  in  recent  years8,  there  is  still  shortage  of  labour  in 
retail9. Therefore, most affected sales assistants have a good chance of finding work. 

Finding a new job will be more challenging for the many warehouse staff affected in 
the distribution centre. There are many jobseekers looking for this type of work. And 
although there is demand for warehouse workers, many of the jobseekers do not have 
the  right  skills  or  qualifications  (e.g.  lift  truck,  reach  truck)  and  will  need  either 
upskilling and/or to work in another region or switching to a different occupation.  

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

(QFR)  

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.  The  national  labour  law10  on  the  active  management  of  restructuring 
requires  enterprises  undergoing  restructuring  to  set  up  an  employment  unit,  to 
provide  outplacement  services  to  the  workers  laid  off  in  the  context  of  collective 
redundancies.  In  the  event  of  bankruptcy,  however,  this  legal  obligation  does  not 
apply.  Instead,  a  safety  net  is  provided  for  in  Flanders11,  which  involves  the  State 
financing the outplacement pathway described below in paragraph 26, replacing the 
counseling and outplacement services that these  displaced workers do not receive.  

21. 

Regarding  the  activities  undertaken  to  assist  the  displaced  workers,  Belgium  has 
reported  that  several  information  sessions  were  organised  shortly  after  the 
bankruptcy,  between  28  March  and  4  April  2025.  Outplacement  services  started  in 
early April and a job fair was organised on 17 June 2025 in Westerlo.  

Complementarity with actions funded by national or Union funds 

22. 

23. 

8 

9 

10 
11 

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. 

From June 2023 to May 2024, the number of vacancies fell by 11.4% compared with the previous 12 
months (source: VDAB).  
Between June 2024 and May 2025, more than 7 400 vacancies were notified directly to VDAB across 
Flanders.  
The Royal Decree of 10 November 2006 amending the Royal Decree of 9 March 2006. 
Flemish Government Decree of 18 March 2011 implementing Article 5(1)(2)(e) of the Decree of 7 May 
2004 establishing the external independent agency of the Flemish Employment and Vocational Training 
Service (VDAB) under public law. 

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

24. 

Belgium  has  indicated  that  the  co-ordinated  package  of  personalised  services  has 
been drawn up in  consultation with  experts and social partners, in compliance with 
Article  7(4)  of  Regulation  (EU)  2021/691.  The  final  package  of  measures  was 
presented to the trade unions ABVV12 and ACV13 on 2 July 2025. 

Targeted beneficiaries and proposed measures 

Targeted beneficiaries 

25. 

All  416  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: 

Category 

Gender: 

Men: 

Women: 

Non-binary 

Age group: 

Below 30 years: 

Educational 
level 

30-54 years: 

Over 54 years: 

Lower  secondary 
education or less14  
Upper  secondary15 
or  post-secondary 
education16 

Tertiary 
education17 

Number of  
expected 
beneficiaries 

135 

281 

(32,5 %) 

(67,5 %) 

0 

(0,0 %) 

61 

(14,7 %) 

234 

121 

(56,3 %) 

(29,1 %) 

95 

(22,8 %) 

245 

(58,9 %) 

76 

(18,3 %) 

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:  

– 

Taskforce:  A  taskforce  composed  of  experts  with  experience  in  providing 
guidance  on  collective  redundancy  processes  and  in-depth  knowledge  of  the 
local  labour  market,  will  organise  and  run  the  information  sessions,  define 
personalised paths together with the workers for reintegration into employment 
and re-adjust them, if need be.  

12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 

Algemeen Belgisch Vakverbond - General Labour Federation of Belgium  
Algemeen Christelijk Vakverbond - Confederation of Christian Trade Unions 
ISCED 0-2 
ISCED 3 
ISCED 4 
ISCED 5-8 

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– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

Outplacement:  Outplacement  services  include  both  collective  and  individual 
activities, such as an initial interview and individual guidance, certification of 
acquired  skills,  guidance  on  using  the  VDAB's  (Public  Employment  Services 
in Flanders) "My Career" (Mijn Loopbaan) digital platform for job searching, 
as  well  as  guidance  before,  during,  and  after  the  job  fair.  Support  is  also 
provided in ”Job-Up” sessions, where workers can walk in to receive help with 
questions on their job application.  

Active  mediation:  The  VDAB  mediators  estimate  the  jobseekers’  potential, 
guide  them,  try  to  match  them  with  suitable  employers,  and  refer  them  to 
upskilling  measures,  if  necessary.  Support  is  also  given  on  preparing  the 
workers for future job applications, writing attractive CVs and acquiring skills 
needed for performing confidently in a job interview. 

Guidance:  VDAB can refer a job seeker to a partner organisation when this is 
deemed  useful  based  on  the  person’s  needs,  profile  and  stage  in  their  career 
path.  Each  organisation  offers  a  personalised  programme,  which  includes 
guidance,  search  for  job  openings,  assessment  and  strengthening  of  digital 
skills,  help  in  using  digital  tools  for  job  search,  and  mental  support.  These 
services  are  provided  through  a  voucher  scheme  to  ensure  freedom  of  choice 
for the workers.  

Training  and  retraining:  Workers  have  access  to  a  wide  range  of  training, 
provided by VDAB or by external training providers. They can choose either to 
further develop their skills in their own field, or to fully retrain in occupations 
with  labour  shortage.  Prior  to  the  training  programme,  a  VDAB  mediator 
carries  out  individual  screening  to  tailor  the  learning  pathway  to  each 
participant’s motivation, skills and personal growth opportunities. The level of 
digital skills training is adapted to the jobseeker’s job target. Specific emphasis 
is  placed  on  strengthening  participants’  technical  and  digital  skills  via  hybrid 
learning  methodologies  –  a  mix  of  classroom,  digital  and  experience-based 
learning. Successful participants will receive an official certificate or diploma.  

Training  at  the  workplace:  Workers  receive  individual  on-the-job  training  at 
the  enterprise  that  is  required  to  recruit  them  after  the  training.  The 
employment  contract  is  either  permanent  or  fixed  term  for  at  least  the  same 
duration as the training.  

Job  fair:  This  recruitment  event  brings  together  jobseekers  and  employers. 
Before  attending  the  event,  participants  are  offered  mentoring  to  prepare 
meeting  with  potential  employers.  The  event  also  contributes  to  getting  to 
know  the  companies,  building  confidence  to  engage  in  conversations  and 
encouraging  to  follow  training  based  on  information  provided  by  the 
employers. 

27. 

28. 

The  ICT  training  and  additional  support  foreseen  within  the  guidance  and 
outplacement  measures  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.  

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29. 

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 

The  estimated 
personalised  services  of  EUR 2 168 980  and  expenditure 
management, 
EUR 86 000. 

total  costs  are  EUR 2 254 980,  comprising  expenditure  for 
for  preparatory, 
information  and  publicity,  control  and  reporting  activities  of 

The total financial contribution requested from the EGF is EUR 1 916 733 (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. 

30. 

31. 

Measures 

Estimated 
number of 
participants 

Estimated cost 
per participant 
(EUR)18 

Estimated total 
costs 
(EUR)19  

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

Taskforce 

Outplacement 

Active mediation 
(Actieve bemiddeling) 

Guidance 
(Begeleiding door partners)   

Training and retraining  
(Opleiding eigen beheer, opleiding SIF, 
opleiding bij partners)  

Training at the workplace  
(Opleidingen in onderneming (IBO))   

Job fair 
(Jobbeurs) 

416 

222 

168 

50 

89 

8 

96 

956 

397 500 

2 290 

508 300 

1 813 

304 500 

4 500 

225 000 

8 118 

722 500 

960 

7 680 

36 

3 500 

Sub-total (a): 

– 

2 168 980 

18 

19 

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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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 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

(96,19 %) 

2 500 

35 000 

3 500 

45 000 

86 000 

(3,81 %) 

2 254 980 

1 916 733 

32. 

33. 

Belgium  started providing the personalised services to  the targeted beneficiaries on 
14  March  2025.  The  expenditure  on  the  measures  will  therefore  be  eligible  for  a 
financial contribution from the EGF from  14 March 2025 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 6 
March  2025.  The  expenditure  for  preparatory,  management,  information  and 
publicity,  control  and  reporting  activities  shall  therefore  be  eligible  for  a  financial 
contribution from the EGF from 6 March 2025 until 31 months after the date of the 
entry into force of the Financing Decision.   

Management and control systems 

34. 

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 

35. 

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. 

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BUDGETARY IMPLICATION 

Budgetary proposal 

36. 

37. 

38. 

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  202720  amended  by  Council  Regulation  (EU,  Euratom)  2024/765  of  29 
February 202421. 

Having examined the application in respect of the conditions set out in Article 13(1) 
and (2) of Regulation (EU) 2021/691, and having taken into account the number of 
targeted  beneficiaries,  the  proposed  measures  and  the  estimated  costs,  the 
Commission  proposes  to  mobilise  the  EGF  for  the  amount  of  EUR 1 916 733, 
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 resources22. 

Related acts 

39. 

40. 

At the same time as it presents this proposal for a decision to mobilise the EGF, the 
Commission will present to the European Parliament and to the Council a proposal to 
transfer to the relevant budgetary line the amount of EUR 1 916 733. 

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) 
2024/250923. 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. 

20 
21 
22 
23 

OJ L 433 I, 22.12.2020, p. 11. 
OJ L, 2024/765, 29.2.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/765/oj.  
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, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/2509/oj.  

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2026/0038 (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/2025/007 BE/Casa 

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 1309/201324,  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 resources25, 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)  2020/209326 
amended  by  Council  Regulation  (EU,  Euratom)  2024/76527,  and  Article  16  of 
Regulation (EU) 2021/691. 

On  23  September  2025,  Belgium  submitted  an  application  to  mobilise  the  EGF  in 
accordance  with  Article  8(1)  of  Regulation  (EU)  2021/691,  in  respect  of  workers’ 
displacements  in  Casa  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 Council28. 

24 
25 
26 

27 
28 

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, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/765/oj. 
COM (2026) 3 

EN 

10 

  EN 

 
(4) 

(5) 

The EGF should, therefore, be mobilised in order to provide a financial contribution of 
EUR 1 916 733 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 2026, the European Globalisation 
Adjustment  Fund  for  Displaced  Workers  shall  be  mobilised  to  provide  the  amount  of 
EUR 1 916 733 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 

11 

  EN