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/2025/008 BE/Liberty
Date: 2026-03-02
Institutions: Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, European Commission
Subjects: Belgium, European Globalisation Adjustment Fund, Province of Liège, commitment of expenditure, dismissal, employment aid, general budget (EU), globalisation, iron and steel industry, reintegration into working life

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   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 2.3.2026  COM(2026) 4 final 2026/0066 (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/2025/008 BE/Liberty  
 
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 13 November 2025, Belgium submitted an application EGF/2025/008 BE/Liberty 
for a financial contribution from the EGF, following displacements in Liberty Galaţi 
Belgian Branch2 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/2025/008 BE/Liberty 

Belgium 
Province Liège (BE33) 

Date of submission of the application 

13 November 2025 

Date of acknowledgement of receipt of the 
application 

27 November 2025 

Date of request for additional information 

27 November 2025 

Deadline for provision of the additional 
information 

18 December 2025 

Deadline for the completion of the assessment 

10 March 2026 

Intervention criterion 

Enterprise 

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

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

Liberty Galaţi Belgian Branch 

Division 24 (Manufacture of basic 
metals) 

Reference period (four months): 

24 April 2025 – 24 August 2025 

Number of displacements during the reference 
period (a) 

Total number of eligible beneficiaries 

507 

507 

1 
2 

3 

4 

OJ L 153, 3.5.2021, p. 48. 
‘Liberty  Galaţi  Belgian  Branch’  is  the  commercial  name  of  the  Belgian  branch  of  the  Romanian-
registered joint-stock company Liberty Galaţi. 
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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Total number of targeted beneficiaries 
Budget for personalised services (EUR) 
Budget for implementing EGF5 (EUR) 
Total budget (EUR) 
EGF contribution (85 %) (EUR) 

507 
2 358 922 
33 866 
2 392 788 
2 033 869 

ASSESSMENT OF THE APPLICATION 

Procedure 

4. 

Belgium  submitted  application  EGF/2025/008 BE/Liberty  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  13  November  2025.  The  Commission  acknowledged 
receipt of the application and requested additional information from Belgium on 27 
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 10 March 2026.  

Eligibility of the application 

Enterprises and beneficiaries concerned 

5. 

The application relates to 507 displaced workers whose activity has ceased in Liberty 
Galaţi  Belgian  Branch  (Liberty).  The  enterprise  operated  in  the  economic  sector 
classified  under  the  NACE  Revision  2  division  24  (Manufacture  of  basic  metals). 
The  redundancies  made  by  Liberty  are  mainly  located  in  the  NUTS  2  region  of 
Province Liège (BE33). 

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 24 April 2025 to 
24 August 2025. 

There were 507 job displacements in Liberty 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 of Regulation (EU) 2021/691, the number of all 507 workers affected by 
job displacement 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 507.

5 

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

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

11. 

12. 

13. 

14. 

The  investment  of  more  than  EUR 40  million  made  by  GFG  Alliance6  after  the 
acquisition of Liberty Steel Liège from ArcelorMittal in July 2019, was hampered by 
the weak steel market in 2019, the supply chain disruptions caused by the impact of 
the  COVID-19  pandemic  and  the  high  energy  prices  that  followed  Russia’s  war  of 
aggression against Ukraine.  

Liberty  Steel  Group's  galvanizing  lines  in  Belgium  remained  idle  since  December 
2021 because of the lack of raw materials triggering a restructuring operation which 
resulted  in  the  legal  transfer  of  Liberty  Steel  Liège  to  Liberty  Galaţi  (a  Romanian 
subsidiary of GFG Alliance through Liberty Steel Group) in 2023. 

Despite Galaţi’s takeover of Liberty Steel Liège, production activity did not resume. 
Therefore,  workers  were  placed  in  short-time  work  schemes.  After  a  long  period 
without  engaging  in  any  production,  Liberty  was  declared  bankrupt  by  Liège’s 
Commercial Court on 22 April 20257. 

Liège was not the only facility in difficulties. Liberty Steel plants in Czechia, Poland, 
Italy,  Romania,  and  Luxemburg  also  experienced  difficulties  because  of  the 
combination of adverse steel market conditions, and GFG Alliance Group’s dramatic 
lack  of  liquid  capital  that  followed  the  bankruptcy  of  Greensill  Capital.  Since  this 
private financial services company provided short-term financing to many entities of 
the  GFG  Alliance  Group,  its  bankruptcy  endangered  the  viability  of  Liberty  Steel, 
leading to its gradual decline. 

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

15. 

16. 

17. 

6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 

In  Belgium,  the  ratio  of  steel  jobs8  per  inhabitant9  is  high,  which  highlights  the 
importance  of  the  sector  in  the  country’s  economy.  Furthermore,  Liberty’s 
bankruptcy  represents  a  major  social  shock  for  Wallonia,  as  it  occurs  in  a  labour 
market  already  weakened  by  other  restructuring  events  such  as  TNT-FedEx10  or 
Makro11 for which Belgium also applied for EGF support. 

In  October  2025,  unemployment  rate  for  Belgium  as  a  whole  was  6,4%,  0,6 
percentage points (pp) increase year-on-year, and 0,5 pp higher than the EU average 
unemployment rate (5,9%)12. However, the unemployment rate in Walloria rises up 
to 7,8%13.  
In the second quarter of 2025, the employment rate in Wallonia (62,7 %)14 was 13 pp 
lower  than  the  EU  average  (76,2%)15.  Older  workers  are  facing  more  barriers  to 
employment. The national employment rate for the age group 25-49 is 82%. It falls 

The conglomerate GFG Alliance owns Liberty Steel Group,  
Moniteur Belge 28.04.2025, 45387 
Steel jobs ratio is the proportion of direct steel jobs per 100,000 inhabitants. 
European Steel Association (EUROFER). European steel in figures 2025. 
COM(2023) 69 
COM(2023) 470  
Eurostat. 
Statbel. Emploi et chômage (9.9.2025) 
Statbel. Emploi et chômage (9.9.2025) 
Eurostat 

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down to 68,2% for people aged 50 or more16. One in four registered job seekers in 
Wallonia was aged 50 or more, in August 202517. 

18. 

Despite  their  high  specialization  in  metallurgy,  galvanizing  and  heavy  industrial 
maintenance,  the  job  transitions  of  Liberty's  workers  are  challenged  by  their 
advanced age (52% of the workers are aged 55 or more and one in two in this group 
is aged 60 or more) with many years of seniority in the same enterprise (more than 
70%  of  the  workers  have  between  24  and  40  years  of  seniority).  Therefore,  these 
workers need personalised help to overcome these difficulties. 

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

(QFR) 

19. 

20. 

21. 

22. 

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  law  on  the  active  management  of 
restructuring18 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 legal obligation does not 
apply  in  the  event  of  bankruptcy.  Therefore,  the  outplacement  and  vocational 
guidance services included in the package of measures described below in paragraph 
24 replace the counseling and outplacement services that these displaced workers do 
not receive and expand them. 
Wallonia's regional legislation19 provides for specific support for redundant workers, 
in the form of a redeployment unit (cellule de reconversion)20 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. 

Regarding  the  activities  undertaken  to  assist  the  displaced  workers,  Belgium  has 
reported that the redeployment unit was set up on 1 June 2025, shortly after the first 
redundancies.  

Complementarity with actions funded by national or Union funds 

23. 

24. 

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. 

16 
17 
18 
19 
20 

Statbel. Employment rate by age group. 
Le Forem. Photo locale de la demande d’emploi (aout 2025) 
The Royal Decree (Arrêté Royal) of 10 November 2006 amending the Royal Decree of 9 March 2006. 
Wallonia Government Decree of 29 January 2004, as amended by the Decree of 30 April 2009. 
Le Forem. Restructuring event: redeployment units. 

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

25. 

26. 

Belgium  has  indicated  that  the  co-ordinated  package  of  personalised  services  has 
been drawn up in consultation with trade unions, in compliance with Article 7(4) of 
Regulation (EU) 2021/691. 

In  a  meeting  held  on  14  July  2025,  the  General  Federation  of  Labour  of  Belgium 
(FGTB)21 and the Confederation of Christian Trade Unions (CSC)22 were consulted 
particularly on the workers’ needs regarding upskilling and reskilling. Input from the 
workers representatives was also sought on how to better provide the EGF support. 

Targeted beneficiaries and proposed measures 

Targeted beneficiaries 

27. 

All  507  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 less23  
Upper  secondary24 
or  post-secondary 
education25 

Tertiary 
education26 

Number of  
expected 
beneficiaries 

468 

(92,3 %) 

39 

(7,7 %) 

0 

4 

(0,0 %) 

(0,8 %) 

242 

261 

(47,7 %) 

(51,5 %) 

70 

(13,8 %) 

280 

(55,2 %) 

157 

(31,0 %) 

Proposed measures 

28. 

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:  

21 
22 
23 
24 
25 
26 

Fédération générale du travail de Belgique. 
Conféderation des syndicats chrétiens. 
ISCED 0-2 
ISCED 3 
ISCED 4 
ISCED 5-8 

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– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

Outplacement and vocational guidance: These services are provided by a team 
of  vocational  advisors  specialised  in  restructuring  events  and  social  support 
workers generally drawn from the company's employee representatives. 

The  advisors  provide  outplacement  services  and  guidance,  training,  and 
professional reintegration support through individual and collective counselling 
and  coaching  sessions,  while  the  social  workers  provide  support  with  the 
administrative procedures when changing employment status and help maintain 
relationships among workers the way these were while in Liberty. 

individual  projects  with 

Training, retraining and vocational training: Specific training will be offered to 
cater for the identified needs of the workers, after the profiling and agreement 
of 
training 
complements  the  standard  training  offer  of  Le  Forem  and  its  partners.  Two 
specific IT modules to gain and to strengthen digital autonomy are offered to 
the workers as well. 

the  vocational  counsellors.  Such 

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 start-up: The workers who start  a business  or a self-
employed  activity  will  receive  a  contribution  up  to  EUR  15 000.  The 
contribution  will  be  paid  in  two  instalments,  after  proving  the  start  and 
development of the business activity with supporting documents. 

Incentives  and  allowances:  (1) Job-search  allowances.  Workers  will  receive 
EUR 2 per hour of effective participation in job-search activities entitled to the 
allowance. (2) 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 to acquire the necessary skills for jobs that are in 
demand  and  for  which  recruiting  is  difficult  or  linked  to  critical  functions27. 
(3) Allowance towards business creation. To support workers during setting 
up business, a monthly allowance of EUR 350 will be granted for a maximum 
of 12 months or up to 18 months under certain conditions. 

29. 

The  training  to  gain  and  to  strengthen  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  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 
module  on  circular  economy  and  efficient  use  of  resources  developped  for  former 
Swissport workers (EGF/2020/005 BE)28 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 case29.  

27 

28 
29 

List of jobs in demand and difficult to be covered or linked to critical functions. « Métiers en tension de 
recrutement en Wallonie. Liste des métiers/fonctions critiques et en pénurie ». Le Forem 2025. 
COM(2021) 212. 
EGF/2022/002 BE/TNT. COM(2023) 69 

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30. 

31. 

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 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 

32. 

33. 

34. 

The  estimated 
personalised  services  of  EUR 2 358 922  and  expenditure 
management, 
EUR 33 866. 

total  costs  are  EUR 2 392 788,  comprising  expenditure  for 
for  preparatory, 
information  and  publicity,  control  and  reporting  activities  of 

The total financial contribution requested from the EGF is EUR 2 033 869 (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 and Le Forem. 

Measures 

Estimated 
number of 
participants 

Estimated cost 
per participant 
(EUR)30 

Estimated total 
costs 
(EUR)31  

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

Outplacement and vocational guidance 
(reconversion:accompagnement/orientation/
mobilisation) 

Training and retraining  
(formations et modules spécifiques) 

Promotion of entrepreneurship 
(Accompagnement entrepreneuriat)  

Contribution to business start-up 
(bourse de lancement) 

507 

2 329 

1 180 583 

250 

1 801 

450 170 

50 

32 

1 231 

61 569 

10 000 

320 000 

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

– 

2 012 322 

(85,30 %) 

Allowances and incentives (measures under Article 7(2), second subparagraph, point (b), of 
Regulation (EU) 2021/691) 

30 

31 

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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Allowances 
(allocation de recherche d'emploie, de 
reprise d'études et d'entrepreneuriat)  

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

Activities under Article 7(5) of Regulation (EU) 2021/691 

1. Preparatory activities 

2. Management 

3. Information and publicity 

4. Control and reporting 

Sub-total (c): 
Percentage of the total costs: 

Total costs (a + b + c): 

EGF contribution (85 % of total costs) 

507 

684 

346 600 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

346 600 

(14,69 %) 

0 

13 260 

5 000 

15 606 

33 866 

(1,42 %) 

2 392 788 

2 033 869 

35. 

36. 

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 

37. 

38. 

Belgium started providing the personalised services to the targeted beneficiaries on 1 
June 2025. The expenditure on the measures will therefore be eligible for a financial 
contribution  from  the  EGF  from  1  June  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 
22  April  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 22 April 2025 until 31 months after the date of the 
entry into force of the Financing Decision.  

Management and control systems 

39. 

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+ in Wallonia. 

Commitments provided by the Member State concerned 

40. 

Belgium has provided all necessary assurances regarding the following:  

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– 

– 

– 

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 

41. 

42. 

43. 

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  202732  amended  by  Council  Regulation  (EU,  Euratom)  2024/765  of  29 
February 202433. 

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 2 033 869, 
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 resources34. 

Related acts 

44. 

45. 

32 
33 
34 
35 

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 2 033 869. 

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) 
2024/250935. 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. 

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, 
ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/2509/oj26.9.2024. 

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2026/0066 (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/2025/008 BE/Liberty 

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 1309/201336,  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 resources37, 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)  2020/209338 
amended  by  Council  Regulation  (EU,  Euratom)  2024/76539,  and  Article  16  of 
Regulation (EU) 2021/691. 

On  13  November  2025,  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  Liberty Galaţi  Belgian Branch 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 Council40. 

36 
37 
38 

39 
40 

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) 4. 

EN 

8 

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(4) 

(5) 

The EGF should, therefore, be mobilised in order to provide a financial contribution of 
EUR 2 033 869 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 2 033 869 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 

9 

  EN