2014/811/EU: Decision 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/2013/002 BE/Carsid from Belgium)

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to mobilise the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) to assist Belgium following redundancies in the 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 allows for the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) within the annual ceiling 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) for applications submitted until 31 December 2013 are laid down in Regulation (EC) No 1927/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council on establishing the EGF. The Committee on Budgets adopted the report by Petri SARVAMAA (EPP, FI) on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund, to the amount of EUR 911 934 in commitment and payment appropriations in order to assist Belgium following redundancies in the steel industry. 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. Belgium submitted application EGF/2013/02 BE/Carsid for a financial contribution from the EGF, following 939 redundancies, with 752 persons expected to participate in the measures, linked to the closure of the production plant of Carsid SA (‘Carsid’) located in Marcinelle near Charleroi in Belgium during the reference period from 28 September 2012 to 28 January 2013. Members therefore asked the institutions to speed up mobilisation of the Fund for the amount requested, agreeing with the Commission that the conditions set out in Article 2(a) of the EGF Regulation are met. In this respect, Members agreed with the Commission that Belgium is entitled to a financial contribution under the EGF Regulation . Members also welcomed that the Commission made a prompt assessment within less than 5 months. They 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 October 2012, well ahead of the final decision on granting the EGF support for the proposed coordinated package. Coordinated package of personalised services : Members stated that the coordinated package of personalised services to be co-funded includes following measures for the reintegration of 752 redundant workers into employment (grouped by category): (1) individual job-search assistance, case management and general information services and (2) training and retraining. They recalled the importance of improving the employability of all workers by means of adapted training and the recognition of skills and competences gained throughout a worker's professional career and expected the training on offer in the coordinated package to be…

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