CELEX: 52015PC0037
Language: en
Date: 2015-02-03
Title: Proposal for a DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (application EGF/2014/018 GR/Attica Broadcasting)

EUROPEAN
                         COMMISSION
                                               Brussels, 3.2.2015
                                               COM(2015) 37 final
                                               ANNEX 1
                                      ANNEX
                                       to the
   Proposal for a DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE
                                     COUNCIL
        on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund
                 (application EGF/2014/018 GR/Attica Broadcasting)
EN                                                                        EN
 ---pagebreak---                         Enterprises and number of dismissals
   ALPHA ΔΟΡΥΦΟΡΙΚΗ ΤΗΛΕΟΡΑΣΗ ΑΝΩΝΥΜΗ ΕΤΑΙΡΕΙΑ                        96
   ALPHA ΡΑΔΙΟΦΩΝΙΚΗ ΑΝΩΝΥΜΗ ΕΤΑΙΡΕΙΑ                                  6
   N.S.P. RADIO ΡΑΔΙΟΦΩΝΙΚΗ ΑΝΩΝΥΜΗ ΕΤΑΙΡΕΙΑ                          18
   S.B.C. T.V. ΤΗΛΕΟΠΤΙΚΕΣ ΕΠΙΧΕΙΡΗΣΕΙΣ ΑΝΩΝΥΜΗ ΕΤΑΙΡΕΙΑ               2
   SPORT T.V. - ΡΑΔΙΟΤΗΛΕΟΠΤΙΚΗ ΠΡΟΒΟΛΗ ΑΝΩΝΥΜΗ
                                                                       6
   ΕΤΑΙΡΕΙΑ
   ΑΝΤΕΝΝΑ T.V. ΑΝΩΝΥΜΗ ΕΤΑΙΡΕΙΑ                                      83
   ΓΕΝΙΚΕΣ ΡΑΔΙΟΤΗΕΟΠΤΙΚΕΣ ΕΠΙΧΕΙΡΗΣΕΙΣ ΑΝΩΝΥΜΗ
                                                                      16
   ΕΤΑΙΡΕΙΑ
   ΕΙΔΗΣΕΙΣ DOT COM ΑΝΩΝΥΜΗ ΕΜΠΟΡΙΚΗ ΕΤΑΙΡΕΙΑ
                                                                      30
   ΠΑΡΟΧΗΣ ΠΛΗΡΟΦΟΡΙΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΕΝΗΜΕΡΩΣΗΣ
   ΕΚΠΑΙΔΕΥΤΙΚΗ, ΡΑΔΙΟΤΗΛΕΟΠΤΙΚΗ, ΕΚΔΟΤΙΚΗ,
                                                                       7
   ΠΑΡΑΓΩΓΙΚΗ, ΟΡΓΑΝΩΤΙΚΗ ΑΝΩΝΥΜΗ ΕΤΑΙΡΕΙΑ
   ΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΗ ΤΗΛΕΟΡΑΣΗ ΑΝΩΝΥΜΗ ΕΤΑΙΡΕΙΑ                               584
   ΡΑΔΙΟΤΗΛΕΟΠΤΙΚΕΣ ΕΠΙΧΕΙΡΗΣΕΙΣ CHANNEL NINE-9
                                                                       5
   ΑΝΩΝΥΜΗ ΕΤΑΙΡΕΙΑ
   ΡΑΔΙΟΤΗΛΕΟΠΤΙΚΗ ΑΝΩΝΥΜΗ ΕΤΑΙΡΕΙΑ                                   23
   ΡΑΔΙΟΦΩΝΙΚΕΣ & ΤΗΛΕΠΙΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΑΚΕΣ ΕΠΙΧΕΙΡΗΣΕΙΣ
                                                                      13
   ΕΜΠΟΡΙΚΗ Α.Ε. ΑΝΩΝΥΜΗ ΕΤΑΙΡΕΙΑ
   ΡΑΔΙΟΦΩΝΙΚΕΣ ΕΠΙΧΕΙΡΗΣΕΙΣ ΒΗΜΑ FM ΑΝΩΝΥΜΗ ΕΤΑΙΡΕΙΑ                  3
   STAR ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΡΑΔΙΟΤΗΛΕΟΠΤΙΚΗ ΑΝΩΝΥΜΗ ΕΤΑΙΡΕΙΑ                      7
   ΤΗΛΕΤΥΠΟΣ ΑΝΩΝΥΜΗ ΕΤΑΙΡΕΙΑ ΤΗΛΕΟΠΤΙΚΩΝ
                                                                      29
   ΠΡΟΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΩΝ
   Total no. of enterprises: 16           Total no. of Dismissals: 928
EN                                                                       EN
 ---documentbreak---                       EUROPEAN
                      COMMISSION
                                               Brussels, 3.2.2015
                                               COM(2015) 37 final
                                  Proposal for a
   DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL
      on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund
              (application EGF/2014/018 GR/Attica Broadcasting)
EN                                                                      EN
 ---pagebreak---                                      EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
   CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL
   1.         The rules applicable to financial contributions from the European Globalisation
              Adjustment Fund (EGF) are laid down in Regulation (EU) No 1309/2013 of the
              European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 on the European
              Globalisation Adjustment Fund (2014-2020) and repealing Regulation (EC)
              No 1927/20061 (the 'EGF Regulation').
   2.         The Greek authorities submitted application EGF/2014/018 GR/Attica Broadcasting
              for a financial contribution from the EGF, following redundancies and cessation of
              activities within the meaning of Article 3 of the EGF Regulation (hereafter referred
              to as 'redundancies') in 16 enterprises operating in the NACE Rev. 2 division 60
              (Programming and broadcasting activities)2 in the NUTS 23 level region of Attica
              (EL 30) in Greece.
   3.         Following its assessment of this application, the Commission has concluded, in
              accordance with all applicable provisions of the EGF Regulation, that the conditions
              for awarding a financial contribution from the EGF are met.
   SUMMARY OF THE APPLICATION
   EGF application:                                              EGF/2014/018 GR/Attica Broadcasting
   Member State:                                                 Greece
   Region(s) concerned (NUTS level 2):                           Attica (EL 30)
   Date of submission of the application:                        4.9.2014
   Date of acknowledgement of receipt of the                     18.9.2014
   application:
   Date of request for additional information:                   18.9.2014
   Date of request for additional 2 weeks to provide             29.10.2014
   the requested information
   Deadline of provision of the additional                       13.11.2014
   information:
   Deadline for the completion of the assessment:                5.2.2015
   Intervention criterion:                                       Article 4(1)(b) of the EGF Regulation
   Sector(s) of economic activity (NACE Rev. 2                   Division 60 ('Programming and
   division):                                                    broadcasting activities')
   Reference period (nine months):                               12 September 2013 – 12 June 2014
   Number of redundancies or cessations of activity                                                         928
   during the reference period:
   1
           OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 855.
   2
           Regulation (EC) No 1893/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006
           establishing the statistical classification of economic activities NACE Rev. 2 and amending Council
           Regulation (EEC) No 3037/90 as well as certain EC regulations on specific statistical domains (OJ L
           393, 30.12.2006, p. 1).
   3
           Commission Regulation (EU) No 1046/2012 of 8 November 2012 implementing 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) as regards the transmission of the time series for
           the new regional breakdown (OJ L 310, 9.11.2012, p. 34).
EN                                                             2                                                        EN
 ---pagebreak---    Number of eligible beneficiaries expected to                                                      928
   participate in the actions:
   Number of targeted young persons not in                                                              0
   employment, education or training (NEETs):
   Budget for personalised services (EUR)                                                      8 200 000
   Budget for implementing EGF4 (EUR)                                                            210 000
   Total budget (EUR)                                                                          8 410 000
   EGF contribution (60 %) (EUR)                                                               5 046 000
   ASSESSMENT OF THE APPLICATION
   Procedure
   4.        The Greek authorities submitted application EGF/2014/018 GR/Attica Broadcasting
             within 12 weeks of the date on which the intervention criteria set out in Art. 4 of the
             EGF Regulation were met, on 4 September 2014. The Commission acknowledged
             receipt of the application within two weeks of the date of submission of the
             application, on 18 September 2014. The Commission requested additional
             information from the Greek authorities on the same date. The Greek authorities
             provided such additional information within eight weeks of the date of the request,
             after an extension of the deadline by two weeks at the duly justified request of the
             Greek authorities. The deadline of 12 weeks 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 5 February 2015.
   Eligibility of the application
   Enterprises and beneficiaries concerned
   5.        The application relates to 928 workers made redundant5 in 16 enterprises6 operating
             in the NACE Rev. 2 division 60 (Programming and broadcasting activities) in the
             NUTS level 2 region of Attica (EL 30).
   Intervention criteria
   6.        The Greek authorities submitted the application under the intervention criterion of
             Article 4(1)(b) of the EGF Regulation, which requires at least 500 redundancies over
             a reference period of nine months in enterprises operating in the same economic
             sector defined at NACE Rev. 2 division level and located in one region or two
             contiguous regions defined at NUTS 2 level in a Member State.
   7.        The reference period of nine months runs from 12 September 2013 to 12 June 2014.
   Calculation of redundancies and of cessation of activity
   8.        All the redundancies have been calculated from the date of the de facto termination
             of the contract of employment or its expiry.
   Eligible beneficiaries
   9.        The total number of eligible beneficiaries is 928.
   4
           In accordance with the fourth paragraph of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 1309/2013.
   5
           Within the meaning of Article 3(a) of the EGF Regulation.
   6
           For the list of enterprises concerned and the number of workers made redundant in each enterprise see
           Annex.
EN                                                        3                                                      EN
 ---pagebreak---    Link between the redundancies and the global financial and economic crisis addressed in
   Regulation (EC) No 546/2009
   10.      In order to establish the link between the redundancies and the global financial and
            economic crisis addressed in Regulation (EC) No 546/2009, Greece argues that the
            Greek economy is for the sixth consecutive year (2008-2013) in deep recession.
            According to ELSTAT, the Greek Statistical Authority, since 2008 the Greek GDP
            has decreased by 25,7 percentage points; public consumption by 21 percentage
            points and private consumption by 32,3 percentage points whilst unemployment
            increased by 20,6 percentage points. Even though the Greek economy is estimated to
            be on the ''return to growth'' and forecasts for some of these indicators are already
            positive for 20147, the labour market shall continue to experience difficulties in the
            near future as well.
   11.      In order to deal with foreign debt payments, in 2008 the Greek government took
            unpopular measures such as increasing tax revenues, streamlining public expenditure
            and decreasing public employees' salaries. Wages in the private sector have also been
            decreasing in an attempt to increase the competitiveness of the Greek economy.
            Since 2008, thousands of enterprises have stopped their activities and closed down,
            making their staff redundant and thousands of self-employed persons have ceased
            their activities, contributing to the sharp increase of unemployment. An immediate
            effect of the reduced income has been a decrease in private consumption - especially
            of non-essential goods.
   12.      In 2009, the drop of household consumption in Greece followed the same negative
            trend as in the EU-27. In 2010 and 2011, there was a recovery in household
            consumption at EU-27 level followed by a drop in 2012. Household consumption in
            Greece has been declining since the beginning of the financial and economic crisis
            and the figures have been worsening every year.
                                           Household consumption
                             (% change compared with the previous year)
                                       2008            2009             2010           2011           2012
            EU-27                       0,44           -1,67             1,04           0,26         -0,74
            Greece                      4,67           -1,91            -6,39          -7,91         -9,07
            Source: Eurostat.
   13.      According to the ELSTAT report on household income and living conditions, 23 %
            of Greeks were below the poverty threshold8 in 2012.
   14.      According to a recent study9 by INE-GSEE10, published in July 2014, three out of
            four workers or employees stated that his/her income level has declined in 2014
            compared with the previous year due to salary cuts. Moreover, 38 % of respondents
            believe that their salaries be cut again in the next quarter. A majority of respondents
            have reduced their expenses accordingly, in particular the budget for non-essential
            items such as magazines and newspapers.
   7
          http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/eu/forecasts/2014_autumn_forecast_en.htm
   8
          In Greece, the poverty line is EUR 5 708 per year per person (for individuals) and EUR 11 986 for
          households comprising two adults and two children up to 14 years old.
   9
          http://www.inegsee.gr/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Symperasmata.pdf
   10
          The Institute of Labour of the Greek General Confederation of Labour
EN                                                      4                                                   EN
 ---pagebreak---    15.        To date, the programming and broadcasting activities sector has not been the subject
              of any EGF application.
   Events giving rise to the redundancies and cessation of activity
   16.        The events giving rise to the redundancies, according to the Greek authorities, were
              mainly two: (1) the decrease of available household income ― due to the increase in
              the tax burden, decreasing salaries (of both private and public employees) and rising
              unemployment ― resulting in a huge drop of purchasing power and the need to
              prioritise spending while dropping what is considered to be non-essentials for
              everyday life; (2) the drastic reduction of loans to enterprises and individuals due to
              the lack of cash in the Greek banks. According to the Bank of Greece, the annual
              growth rate for loans granted to households and enterprises (excluding financial
              undertakings) has been negative since 2010 due to cash shortfall in the Greek
              banks11.
   17.        During the years 2009-2012, companies operating in the mass media sector12, have
              terminated their activities or have reduced the salaries of their staff13. In this context,
              mass media companies show shrinkage in their revenues, as the advertising
              expenditure, comprising one of their basic sources of revenues, dropped drastically:
              in 2012 the advertising expenditure in mass media reached EUR 1,14 billion, while
              in 2008 it was still EUR 2,67 billion, a decrease of 57 %14.
   18.        As a result, companies of all types and categories in the mass media sector started to
              face serious problems in paying their liabilities. The balance of payments shows that
              the total liabilities of the mass media companies are more than EUR 3,2 billion
              during 2010 and 2011, 50% of them being short-term liabilities15.
   19.        In this framework, programming and broadcasting companies have met serious
              problems in terms of viability, as their financing elements and performance went
              from bad to worse during the crisis period. The table below presents the turnover
              evolution in the broadcasting companies and is illustrative of the constant downward
              trends in the last years: the turnover index of enterprises in the programming and
              broadcasting sector (div. 60) has decreased by more than 40% during the past three
              years (2010-2013).
              Table 1: Evolution of turnover index in the broadcasting companies (div. 60
              NACE rev. 2), in Greece for 2010-2014
                                                                               CHANGE
                                          2010     2011      2012       2013                 2014*
                                                                                2010-13
   div. 60:
   Programming and broadcasting           100,0      73,0     61,0        56,2      -43,8      57,7
   (base year:2010=100)
              * Estimate
   20.        The cash flow shortage as a side effect of the recession of the Greek economy has
              added to the difficulties of the enterprises in the programming and broadcasting
              sector.
   11
            http://www.bankofgreece.gr/BogEkdoseis/Summary_Annrep2013.pdf
   12
            See also EGF application EGF/2014/015 GR/Publishing activities
   13
            http://www.efsyn.gr/?p=5033
   14
            http://www.3comma14.gr/pi/?survey=16005
   15
            http://www.efsyn.gr/?p=5033
EN                                                     5                                                  EN
 ---pagebreak---    21.      The new web media opportunities constantly reaching a greater number of visitors
            led to significant reduction in the advertising income ( 34,3 % 16over the period 2008
            – 2011) of the broadcasting companies. The continuing decline in the incomes of the
            Greek consumers changed their consumption habits and attitude and therefore the
            demand for advertisements dropped significantly. Coupled with the cash flow
            shortage, this drop made it impossible for the companies to produce new
            programmes and eventually led to the corresponding drop in employment in the
            sector by 29,3 % in the 2010-2013 period.17
   Expected impact of the redundancies as regards the local, regional or national economy and
   employment
   22.      The redundancies have a significant adverse impact on the local, regional and
            national economy. The number of unemployed in Greece in the period 2008-2013
            increased four times.
   Unemployment rate
            Source: Eurostat18
   23.      On the other hand, the unemployment rate in the region of Attica stands in the 1st
            quarter of 2014 at 28% (while the average one for Greece is 27,8%)19. This region
            contributes with 43 % to the Greek GDP (therefore, the crisis suffered by enterprises
            in the region affects the entire Greek economy). It also comprises the largest part of
            the unemployed people in Greece as compared to the other 12 regions, a fact which
            affects negatively the position of the labour force in Attica.
   24.      Moreover, it has been identified that most of the enterprises in the broader area of
            Athens face common viability problems. In this framework, it is obvious that layoffs
            in programming and broadcasting enterprises have overburdened a region which has
            already been hit hard by the negative consequences of the crisis
   16
          http://www.3comma14.gr/pi/?survey=12106
   17
          Greek Statistical authority. Data processed by INE GSEE ( The Greek Institute for Labour )
   18
          Code tsdec450
   19
          Source: Greek Statistical Authority, Labour Force surveys, 1st quarter’s data
EN                                                        6                                          EN
 ---pagebreak---    Targeted beneficiaries and proposed actions
   Targeted beneficiaries
   25.       The estimated number of targeted workers expected to participate in the measures is
             928. The breakdown of these workers by sex, citizenship and age group is as follows:
                                    Category                         Number of
                                                                    beneficiaries
                      Sex:             Men:                          521    (56,14 %)
                                       Women:                        407    (43,86 %)
                      Citizenship:     EU citizens:                  926    (99,78 %)
                                       non-EU citizens:                2    (00,22 %)
                      Age group:       15-24 years old:               12     (1,29 %)
                                       25-29 years old:               78     (8,40 %)
                                       30-54 years old:              814    (87,72 %)
                                       55-64 years old:               22     (2,37 %)
                                       over 64 years old:              2     (0,22 %)
   Eligibility of proposed actions
   26.       The personalised services which are to be provided to the redundant workers consist
             of the following actions:.
             Occupational quidance: This accompaning measure which will be offered to all
             participants, covers the following stages:.
                   1 Recording and investigation of the needs. The first measure provided to all
                   participants includes recording of data and identifying the needs– personal,
                   professional, social as well as provision of information on available services
                   and training programmes and on skills and training requirements.
                   2 Personal and occupational paper. This is intended to help workers to
                   identify their own skills and the opportunities related to their own interests and
                   to establish a realistic career plan. The skills assessment involves intensive and
                   personalised counselling, structured as a pathway consisting of various stages
                   in which the worker and the counsellor work on an issue (e.g. opportunities,
                   interests, analysis of the motivations and expectations, barriers, etc.).
                   Following these assessments, a personal and occupational paper is put together,
                   setting out a summary of the participant's skills, his/her individual project and
                   an action plan.
                   3 Personal and professional development procedure. This includes: (1)
                   defining professional targets alongside with job-search activities; (2)
                   determining and evaluation the sources of job opportunities; (3) possible ways
                   to submit a candidacy for a position; (4) writing a CV and an accompaning
                   letter; (5) preparing for an interview; (6) provision of basic knowledge on the
                   labour market and on institutional, labour, business and legal issues..
                   4 Conducting the individual action plan. The counsellors will also
                   accompany the workers during the implementation of their training pathways
EN                                                    7                                               EN
 ---pagebreak---                   and individual plans of reintegration into employment. The participants
                  interested in setting up a business will receive general support and counselling
                  towards entrepreneurship in the framework of this occupational guidance
                  measure.
                  5 Monitoring. This provides a follow up of the participants during the six
                  months that follow the end of the implementation of the measures.
           Training, retraining and vocational training. This measure consists in providing
           vocational training courses to workers which correspond to their needs, as identified
           during the occupational consultancy activity, and in areas and sectors with good
           development prospects and that correspond to recognised needs in the labour market.
           Two types of training will be provided: continuous vocational training programmes
           as well as specialised trainings or educational programmes
           Self-employment subsidy. The workers who set up their own businesses will receive
           up to EUR 15 000 as a contribution to cover setting-up costs. In Greece, one of the
           major difficulties that entrepreneurs face when starting up a business is access to
           funding. Banks, due to the shortage of cash, turn down the majority of loan requests.
           This measure aims to promote entrepreneurship through this financial support.
           Job-search allowance and training allowance. To cover the expenses incurred when
           participating in the occupational guidance measure, the beneficiaries will receive
           EUR 50 per day of participation. While in training the allowance will be EUR 6 per
           hour.
           Mobility allowance. Those workers who accept a job involving a change of residence
           will receive a lump sum of EUR 2 000 to cover the necessary expenditure
   27.     The proposed actions, here described, constitute active labour market measures
           within the eligible actions set out in Article 7 of the EGF Regulation. These actions
           do not substitute for passive social protection measures.
   28.     The Greek authorities have provided the required information on actions that are
           mandatory for the enterprises concerned by virtue of national law or pursuant to
           collective agreements. They have confirmed that a financial contribution from the
           EGF will not replace such actions.
   Estimated budget
   29.     The estimated total costs are EUR 8 410 000, comprising expenditure for
           personalised services of EUR 8 200 000 and expenditure for preparatory,
           management, information and publicity, control and reporting activities of EUR 210
           000.
   30.     The total financial contribution requested from the EGF is EUR 5 046 000 (60 % of
           total costs).
EN                                                 8                                               EN
 ---pagebreak---                                                             Estimated     Estimated cost  Estimated total
                         Actions                            number of     per participant      costs
                                                           participants       (EUR)           (EUR)
   Personalised services (Actions under Article 7(1)(a) and (c) of the EGF Regulation)
   Occupational consultancy                                    928             1 250        1 160 000
   Vocational training                                         640             2 400        1 536 000
                                                               288             4 000        1 152 000
   Specialized training/education
   Self-employment subsidy                                     120            15 000        1 800 000
                                         Sub-total (a):                                     5 648 000;
            Percentage of the package of personalised                   –
                                                                                            (68,88 %)
                                               services
   Allowances and incentives (Actions under Article 7(1)(b) of the EGF Regulation)
                                                               928             1 250        1 160 000
   Job search allowances
   Training allowances                                         640             1 800        1 152 000
                                                               120             2 000         240 000
   Mobility allowances
                                         Sub-total (b):                                     2 552 000;
            Percentage of the package of personalised                   –                   (31,12 %)
                                              services:
    Actions under Article 7(4) of the EGF Regulation
      1. Preparatory activities                                         –                     40 000
      2. Management                                                     –                     40 000
      3. Information and publicity                                      –                    100 000
      4. Control and reporting                                          –                     30 000
                                         Sub-total (c):                 –                    210 000;
                         Percentage of the total costs :                                     (2,50 %)
   Total costs (a + b + c):                                             –                   8 410 000
   EGF contribution (60 % of total costs)                               –                   5 046 000
   31.       The costs of the actions identified in the table above as actions under Article 7(1)(b)
             of the EGF Regulation do not exceed 35 % of the total costs for the coordinated
EN                                                       9                                                EN
 ---pagebreak---             package of personalised services. The Greek authorities confirmed that these actions
            are conditional on the active participation of the targeted beneficiaries in job-search
            or training activities.
   32.      The Greek authorities confirmed that the costs of investments for self-employment,
            business start-ups and employee take-overs will not exceed EUR 15 000 per
            beneficiary.
   Period of eligibility of expenditure
   33.      The Greek authorities started providing the personalised services to the targeted
            beneficiaries on 28 November 2014. The expenditure on the actions referred to in
            point 26 shall therefore be eligible for a financial contribution from the EGF from 28
            November 2014 to 28 November 2016.
   34.      The Greek authorities started incurring the administrative expenditure to implement
            the EGF on 3 November 2014. The expenditure for preparatory, management,
            information and publicity, control and reporting activities shall therefore be eligible
            for a financial contribution from the EGF from 3 November 2014 to 28 May 2017.
   Complementarity with actions funded by national or Union funds
   35.      The source of national pre-financing or co-funding is the Public Investment
            Programme of the Greek Ministry of Development.
   36.      The Greek authorities have confirmed that the measures described above receiving a
            financial contribution from the EGF will not also receive financial contribution from
            other Union financial instruments.
   Procedures for consulting the targeted beneficiaries or their representatives or the social
   partners as well as local and regional authorities
   37.      The Greek authorities have indicated that the co-ordinated package of personalised
            services has been drawn up in consultation with the representatives of the targeted
            beneficiaries (the Journalists' Union of Athens Daily Newspapers (ΕΣΗΕΑ), the
            Employees Union of Athens Daily Newspapers (ΕΠΗΕΑ)) and the GSEE Institute of
            Labour). On 17 June 2014 they sent a letter to the Minister and Deputy Minister of
            Labour indicating the prevailing crisis in the whole media sector as a result of the
            economic recession in the country, reporting the huge number of companies
            operating in the Media sector which terminate their activities, reduce the salaries of
            their staff, dismiss workers etc. to check the eligibility of a potential EGF
            application. A first meeting was arranged between the management authority of the
            EGF in Greece (EYSEKT) and the representatives of ΕΣΗΕΑ, ΕΠΗΕΑ and GSEE’s
            Labour Institute on 27 June 2014. A second meeting was held on 31 July 2014 and
            was attended by representatives of the ESF Coordination and Monitoring Authority
            (EYSEKT), representatives of ΕΣΗΕΑ, ΕΠΗΕΑ and GSEE’s Labour Institute and
            representatives of the workers. In this meeting the representatives of the workers
            gave detailed data concerning the potential case and the representatives from
            ΕΣΗΕΑ, ΕΠΗΕΑ and GSEE’s Labour Institute undertook to inform all the workers
            about the request for funding from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund.
            After that all the participants discussed the design of the proposed individualised
            actions for the beneficiaries.
   38.      The proposals of the representatives of the employees were presented based on their
            needs, as well as the position of the social partners - on the basis of the needs and
            particularities of the local labour market.
EN                                                 10                                               EN
 ---pagebreak---    39.    EYSEKT cooperated with all the parties involved on the design of the proposed
          individualised actions for the beneficiaries.
   Management and control systems
   40.    The application contains a description of the management and control system which
          specifies the responsibilities of the bodies involved. Greece has notified the
          Commission that the financial contribution will be managed and controlled by the
          same bodies that manage and control the European Social Fund (ESF) funding in
          Greece. The ESF Actions Coordination and Monitoring Authority (EYSEKT) will
          act as managing authority, the EDEL (Fiscal Audit Committee) as audit authority and
          the Special Paying Authority Service as certification authority.
   Commitments provided by the Member State concerned
   41.    The Greek authorities have provided all necessary assurances regarding the
          following:
          –      the principles of equality of treatment and non-discrimination will be respected
                 in the access to the proposed actions and their implementation;
          –      the requirements laid down in national and EU legislation concerning
                 collective redundancies have been complied with;
          –      where the dismissing enterprises have continued their activities after the lay-
                 offs, they have complied with their legal obligations governing the
                 redundancies and have provided for their workers accordingly;
          –      the proposed actions will provide support for individual workers and will not
                 be used for restructuring companies or sectors;
          –      the proposed actions will not receive financial support from other Union funds
                 or financial instruments and any double financing will be prevented;
          –      the proposed actions will be complementary with actions funded by the
                 Structural Funds;
          –      the financial contribution from the EGF will comply with the procedural and
                 material Union rules on State aid.
   BUDGETARY IMPLICATION
   Budgetary proposal
   42.    The EGF shall not exceed a maximum annual amount of EUR 150 million (2011
          prices), as laid down in Article 12 of Council Regulation (EU, Euratom)
          No 1311/2013 of 2 December 2013 laying down the multiannual financial
          framework for the years 2014-202020.
   43.    Having examined the application in respect of the conditions set out in Article 13(1)
          of the EGF Regulation, and having taken into account the number of targeted
          beneficiaries, the proposed actions and the estimated costs, the Commission proposes
          to mobilise the EGF for the amount of EUR 5 046 000, representing 60 % of the total
          costs of the proposed actions, in order to provide a financial contribution for the
          application.
   44.    The proposed decision to mobilise the EGF will be taken jointly by the European
          Parliament and the Council, as laid down in point 13 of the Interinstitutional
   20
         OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 884.
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 ---pagebreak---            Agreement of 2 December 2013 between the European Parliament, the Council and
           the Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on
           sound financial management21.
   Related acts
   45.     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
           for a transfer to the relevant budgetary line for the amount of EUR 5 046 000.
   46.     At the same time as it adopts this proposal for a decision to mobilise the EGF, the
           Commission will adopt a decision on a financial contribution, by means of an
           implementing act, which will enter into force on the date at which the European
           Parliament and the Council adopt the proposed decision to mobilise the EGF.
   21
          OJ C 373, 20.12.2013, p. 1.
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 ---pagebreak---                                                      Proposal for a
         DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL
              on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund
                         (application EGF/2014/018 GR/Attica Broadcasting)
   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) No 1309/2013 of the European Parliament and of the
   Council of 17 December 2013 on the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (2014-2020)
   and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1927/200622, and in particular Article 15(4) thereof,
   Having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 2 December 2013 between the European
   Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in
   budgetary matters and on sound financial management23, and in particular point 13 thereof,
   Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,
   Whereas:
   (1)    The European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) was established to provide
          support for workers made redundant and self-employed persons whose activity has
          ceased as a result of major structural changes in world trade patterns due to
          globalisation, as a result of a continuation of the global financial and economic crisis
          addressed in Regulation (EC) No 546/2009of the European Parliament and of the
          Council24, or as a result of a new global financial and economic crisis and to assist
          them with their reintegration into the labour market.
   (2)    The EGF shall not exceed a maximum annual amount of EUR 150 million (2011
          prices), as laid down in Article 12 of Council Regulation (EU, Euratom)
          No 1311/201325..
   (3)    On 4 September 2014 Greece submitted an application to mobilise the EGF, in respect
          of redundancies26 in 16 enterprises operating in the NACE Rev. 2 division 60
          (Programming and broadcasting activities)27 in the NUTS 2 level region of Attica (EL
          30) in Greece. It was supplemented by additional information pursuant to Article 8(3)
          of Regulation (EU) No 1309/2013. The application complies with the requirements for
          determining a financial contribution from the EGF in accordance with Article 13 of
          Regulation (EU) No 1309/2013. The Commission, therefore, has proposed to mobilise
          an amount of EUR 5 046 000.
   22
          OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 855.
   23
          OJ C 373, 20.12.2013, p. 1.
   24
          OJ L 167, 29.6.2009, p.26.
   25
          Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1311/2013 of 2 December 2013 laying down the multiannual
          financial framework for the years 2014-2020 (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 884).
   26
          Within the meaning of Article 3(a) of the EGF Regulation.
   27
          Regulation (EC) No 1893/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006
          establishing the statistical classification of economic activities NACE Revision 2 and amending Council
          Regulation (EEC) No 3037/90 as well as certain EC regulations on specific statistical domains (OJ L
          393, 30.12.2006, p. 1).
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 ---pagebreak---    (4)    The EGF should, therefore, be mobilised in order to provide a financial contribution of
          for the application submitted by Greece,
   HAVE ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
                                               Article 1
   For the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2015, the EGF shall be
   mobilised to provide the sum of EUR 5 046 000 in commitment and payment appropriations.
                                               Article 2
   This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its adoption.
   Done at Brussels,
   For the European Parliament                  For the Council
   The President                                The President
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