Decision (EU) 2015/468 on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund in accordance with Point 13 of 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 management (application EGF/2013/007 BE/Hainaut steel (Duferco-NLMK), from Belgium)

Ce que fait l'acte

to mobilise the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) to assist Belgium following redundancies in its steel sector. PROPOSED ACT: Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council. CONTENT: Article 12 of Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1311/2013 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2014-2020 provides that the EGF shall not exceed a maximum annual amount of EUR 150 million (2011 prices) over and above the relevant headings of the financial framework. The rules applicable to financial contributions from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) are laid down Regulation (EC) No 1927/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund. The Committee on Budgets adopted the report by Andrej PLENKOVIĆ (EPP, HR) on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for an amount of EUR 981 956 in commitment and payment appropriations to assist Belgium affected by redundancies in its steel sector. Members recalled that the Union set up legislative and budgetary instruments to provide additional support to workers who are suffering from the consequences of major structural changes in world trade patterns and to assist their reintegration into the labour market. Belgian application : Belgium submitted application EGF/2013/007 BE/Hainaut steel for a financial contribution from the EGF following 708 redundancies in two companies, linked to the closure of Duferco and to staff reductions at NLMK, operating in the NACE 2 Division 24 'Manufacturing of basic metals', and both located in La Louvière in the Hainaut region. The redundancies took place during the reference period from 22 January 2013 to 22 October 2013 and are linked to a decline of the Union's market share in in the sector of steel production. Members noted that the conditions set out in Article 2(b) of the EGF Regulation are met. Therefore, Belgium is entitled to a financial contribution under that Regulation. Members welcomed the fact that, in order to provide workers with speedy assistance, the Belgian authorities decided to initiate the implementation of the personalised services to the affected workers on 1 June 2013, well ahead of the decision and even the application on granting the EGF support for the proposed coordinated package. Nature of the redundancies : Members considered that the redundancies at Duferco and NLMK are expected to have a negative impact on the Hainaut region, a former coal-mining and steelmaking area in which employment is strongly dependant on traditional heavy industry and on the public sector, where in 2012 the unemployment rate was 17.7%, compared to 15.8% on average in Wallonia and 11.2% at national level and peaked at 39% for the persons aged from 18 to 25. Members highlighted that the low level of qualification of jobseekers (51% do not have higher secondary education, compared to 47% in Wallonia) is an additional difficulty for the job search. A package of personalised services : Members noted that the coordinated package of personalised services to be co-funded includes…