Decision (EU) 2015/473 on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (application EGF/2014/014 DE/Aleo Solar, from Germany)

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to mobilise the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) to assist Germany following redundancies in its solar modular producing industry. 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 in Regulation (EU) No 1309/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (2014-2020) and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1927/2006 (the 'EGF Regulation'). The Committee on Budgets adopted the report by Iris HOFFMANN (S&D, DE) 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 1 094 760 to assist Germany affected by redundancies in the solar module producing 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. German application : the German authorities submitted application EGF/2014/014 DE/Aleo Solar for a financial contribution from the EGF, following 657 redundancies, 390 from Aleo Solar AG, a company operating in the NACE 2 Division 26 'Manufacturing of computer, electronic and optical products', and 267 from its two subsidiaries, with 476 persons expected to participate in the measures, during and after the reference period from 7 March 2014 to 7 July 2014. The conditions set out in Article 4(1)(a) of the EGF Regulation are met. Therefore, Germany is entitled to a financial contribution under that Regulation. Members welcomed the fact that, in order to provide workers with speedy assistance, the German authorities decided to initiate the implementation of the personalised services to the affected workers on 11 April 2014, 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 in Aleo Solar AG are linked to major structural changes in world trade patterns due to globalisation. The redundancies at Aleo Solar AG are expected to have a negative impact on the Prenzlau/Brandenburg region, where per capita income is well below the national average and the unemployment rate the highest in Germany with 15.5% and 16.4% respectively. Package of personalised services : Members noted that the coordinated package of personalised services to be co-funded includes the following measures for the reintegration of 476 redundant workers into employment (vocational training, careers advice and guidance, peer groups/workshops, entrepreneurship advice, inter-regional advice for mobility, etc). They noted that the…

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