REPORT on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF/2017/000 TA 2017 - Technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission)
3.4.2017 - (COM(2017)0101 – C8‑0097/2017 – 2017/2033(BUD))
Committee on Budgets
Rapporteur: Victor Negrescu
- MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION
- ANNEX: DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL
- EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
- ANNEX: LETTER FROM THE COMMITTEE ON EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS
- ANNEX: LETTER FROM THE COMMITTEE ON REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
- INFORMATION ON ADOPTION IN COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE
- FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL IN COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE
MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION
on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF/2017/000 TA 2017 - Technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission)
(COM(2017)0101 – C8‑0097/2017 – 2017/2033(BUD))
The European Parliament,
– having regard to the Commission proposal to the European Parliament and the Council (COM(2017)0101 – C8-0097/2017),
– 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 1927/2006[1] (EGF Regulation),
– having regard to Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1311/2013 of 2 December 2013 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2014-2020[2], and in particular Article 12 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 management[3] (IIA of 2 December 2013), and in particular point 13 thereof,
– having regard to its resolution of 13 April 2016 on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF/2016/000 TA 2016 – Technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission)[4],
– having regard to the trilogue procedure provided for in point 13 of the IIA of 2 December 2013,
– having regard to the letter of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs,
– having regard to the letter of the Committee on Regional Development,
– having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgets (A8-0157/2017),
A. whereas the Union has 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 or of the global financial and economic crisis and to assist their reintegration into the labour market;
B. whereas the Union’s assistance to workers made redundant should be dynamic and made available as quickly and efficiently as possible, in accordance with the Joint Declaration of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission adopted during the conciliation meeting on 17 July 2008, and having due regard to the IIA of 2 December 2013 in respect of the adoption of decisions to mobilise the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF);
C. whereas the adoption of the EGF Regulation reflects the agreement reached between the Parliament and the Council to reintroduce the crisis mobilisation criterion, to increase the Union financial contribution to 60 % of the total estimated cost of proposed measures, to increase efficiency for the treatment of EGF applications in the Commission and by the Parliament and the Council by shortening the time for assessment and approval, to widen eligible actions and beneficiaries by introducing self-employed persons and young people and to finance incentives for setting up own businesses;
D. whereas the maximum annual budget available for the EGF is EUR 150 million (2011 prices) and whereas Article 11(1) of the EGF Regulation states that 0,5 % of this amount (i.e. EUR 844 620 in 2017) can be made available for technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission in order to finance preparation, monitoring, data gathering and creation of a knowledge base, administrative and technical support, information and communication activities as well as audit, control and evaluation activities necessary to implement the EGF Regulation;
E. whereas the European Parliament has repeatedly underlined the necessity of improved value added, efficiency and employability of beneficiaries of the EGF as a Union instrument of support to workers made redundant;
F. whereas the proposed amount of EUR 310 000 corresponds to approximately 0,18 % of the maximum annual budget available for the EGF in 2017, which is EUR 70 000 less that in 2016;
1. Agrees with the measures proposed by the Commission to be financed as technical assistance in accordance with Article 11(1) and (4) as well as with Article 12(2), (3) and (4) of the EGF Regulation;
2. Welcomes the reduction in the 2017 funding request for EGF technical assistance as compared to 2016; considers that it is important to assess such requests as a percentage of the annual amounts that have been used for the EGF in previous years and not only against the maximum that could be spent this year;
3. Acknowledges the importance of monitoring and data gathering; recalls the importance on robust statistical series compiled in appropriate form to be easily accessible and understandable; welcomes the future release of the Biennial Reports of 2017 and asks for a public and wide diffusion thorough the Union;
4. Recalls the importance of a dedicated website on the EGF to be accessible to all Union citizens; emphasises the importance of multilingualism when communicating broadly to the public; asks for a more user-friendly web environment and encourages the Commission to improve the content-value of its publications and audio-visual activities as provided for in Article 11(4) of the EGF Regulation;
5. Welcomes the continued work on the standardised procedures for EGF applications and management using the functionalities of the electronic data exchange system (SFC 2014), which allows for the simplification and faster processing of applications, and better reporting; notes that the Commission has facilitated EGF financial operations by the creation of an interface between SFC and the accounting and financial information system ABAC; takes note that only further fine-tuning and adjustments to possible changes are needed, limiting de facto the EGF contribution to that type of expenditure;
6. Notes that the procedure to integrate the EGF into SFC2014 has been continuing for several years and the relevant costs for EGF budget have been relatively high; welcomes the reduction in costs compared to previous years, reflecting the fact that the project has now reached the stage of only requiring further fine tuning and adjustments;
7. Recalls the importance of networking and exchange of information on the EGF, so as to spread best practice; supports, therefore, the funding of two meetings of the EGF Expert Group of Contact Persons and two networking seminars on EGF implementation; expects that this exchange of information will also contribute to better and more detailed reporting on the success rate of the applications in the Member States, in particular about the re-employment rate of beneficiaries;
8. Takes note that the Commission intends to invest EUR 70 000 of the available budget under the technical assistance in holding two meetings of the Expert Group of Contact Persons of the EGF; takes also note of the intension of the Commission to invest EUR 120 000 in order to promote networking through seminars among Member States, EGF implementing bodies and social partners; welcomes the Commission’s readiness to invite Members of its EGF Working Group to participate in the recent EGF Networking Seminar that took place in Mons; calls on the Commission to continue to invite the Parliament to these meetings and seminars in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Framework Agreement on relations between the European Parliament and the European Commission[5];
9. Underlines the need to further enhance the liaising between all those involved in EGF applications, including, in particular, the social partners and stakeholders at regional and local level, to create as many synergies as possible; stresses that interaction between the National Contact Person and regional or local case delivery partners should be strengthened and communication and support arrangements and information flows (internal divisions, tasks and responsibilities) made explicit and agreed on by all partners concerned;
10. Approves the decision annexed to this resolution;
11. Instructs its President to sign the decision with the President of the Council and arrange for its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union;
12. Instructs its President to forward this resolution, including its annex, to the Council and the Commission.
ANNEX: DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL
on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF/2016/000 TA 2016 - Technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission)
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) 1927/2006[1], and in particular Article 11(2) 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 management[2], 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 activities have 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 546/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council[3], 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 is not to 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[4].
(3) Regulation (EU) No 1309/2013 provides that a maximum of 0,5 % of the annual maximum amount of the EGF may be used each year for technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission.
(4) The EGF should, therefore, be mobilised in order to provide the sum of EUR 310 000 for technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission,
HAVE ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
For the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2017, the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund shall be mobilised to provide the sum of EUR 310 000 in commitment and payment appropriations.
Article 2
This Decision shall enter into force on the third day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Done at ,
For the European Parliament For the Council
The President The President
- [1] OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 855.
- [2] OJ C 373, 20.12.2013, p. 1.
- [3] Regulation (EC) No 546/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 June 2009 amending Regulation (EC) No 1927/2006 on establishing the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (OJ L 167, 29.6.2009, p. 26).
- [4] 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).
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
I. Background
The European Globalisation Adjustment Fund was created in order to provide additional assistance to workers suffering from the consequences of major structural changes in world trade patterns.
According to the provisions of Article 12 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1311/2013 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2014-2020[1] and of Article 15 of Regulation (EU) No 1309/2013[2], the Fund may not exceed a maximum annual amount of EUR 150 million (2011 prices). The appropriate amounts are entered into the general budget of the Union as a provision.
As concerns the procedure, according to 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[3], in order to activate the Fund the Commission, in case of a positive assessment of an application, presents to the budgetary authority a proposal for mobilisation of the Fund and, at the same time, a corresponding request for transfer. In the event of disagreement, a trilogue shall be initiated.
II. The Commission's proposal
On 28 February 2017, the Commission adopted a new proposal for a decision on the mobilisation of the EGF.
It concerns the mobilisation of EUR 310 000 from the Fund, covering technical assistance for the Commission. The objective of the technical assistance is to finance monitoring, information, to create a knowledge base interface and to advice Member States on using, following up and evaluating the EGF. According to Article 11(1) of the EGF Regulation, 0.5% of the annual maximum amount of the EGF (i.e. EUR 844 620 in 2017) can be made available each year for technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission.
According to the Commission's proposal, in 2017 the requested amount is intended to cover the following activities:
1. Monitoring and data gathering: The Commission will collect data on applications received, paid and wound up, and measures proposed and implemented. This data will be made available on the web site and compiled in appropriate form for the Biennial Reports of 2017 and 2019. Building on the work of recent years, costs for this activity will be EUR 20 000.
2. Information: The web site on the EGF[4], which the Commission has set up within its Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion area, and which it is maintaining as required under Article 12(2) of the EGF Regulation, will be regularly updated and expanded, with each new element also being translated into all EU languages. General awareness of the EGF will be increased and its visibility promoted. A small print run of the EGF mid-term evaluation will be made available together with an online publication. The EGF will be covered in various Commission publications and audio-visual activities as provided for in Article 11(4) of the EGF Regulation. Costs of all these items are estimated at EUR 20 000 in 2017.
3. Creation of a knowledge base / application interface: The Commission is continuing its work setting up standardised procedures for EGF applications and management, using the functionalities of SFC 2014, into which it is being integrated. This allows applications under the EGF Regulation to be simplified, their processing to be speeded up and reports to be more easily extracted for varying needs. Reporting procedures are integrated as well. A back-office module acts as an interface between SFC and the Commission’s accounting and financial information system ABAC, facilitating EGF financial operations. As most of the programming has been done in the past years, only further fine-tuning and adjustments to possible changes are needed. Due to the lower programming costs and equal maintenance costs, the funds needed are lower than in the past years. The cost of these items is estimated at EUR 80 000, as the EGF contribution to the further development and updating of SFC and its regular maintenance.
4. Administrative and technical support: The Expert Group of Contact Persons of the EGF, with one member from each Member State, will be holding two meetings (second half of 2017 / first half of 2018), together estimated at EUR 70 000.
5. In addition, in order to promote networking among the Member States, the Commission will organise two seminars with the participation of EGF implementing bodies and social partners. To the extent possible, these will be scheduled to take place around the same dates as the Expert Group meetings and will focus on issues arising from the practical implementation of the EGF Regulation at grassroots level. The cost of these items is estimated at EUR 120 000.
III. Procedure
In order to mobilise the Fund, the Commission has submitted to the Budget Authority a transfer request for a global amount of EUR 310 000 from the EGF reserve (04 04 01 (CP) and 40 02 43 (CE)) to the EGF budget line (04 01 04 04 (CND)).
This is the second transfer proposal for the mobilisation of the Fund transmitted to the Budgetary Authority to date during 2017.
The trilogue procedure shall be initiated in the event of disagreement, as provided for in Article 15(4) of the EGF Regulation.
According to an internal agreement, the Employment and Social Affairs Committee should be associated to the process, in order to provide constructive support and contribution to the assessment of the applications from the Fund.
- [1] OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 884.
- [2] OJ L 347, 30.12.2013, p. 855.
- [3] OJ C 373, 20.12.2013, p. 1.
- [4] http://ec.europa.eu/egf
ANNEX: LETTER FROM THE COMMITTEE ON EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS
D(2017)11685
M. Jean Arthuis
Chair of the Committee on Budgets
ASP 09G205
Subject: Opinion on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) for the case EGF/2017/000 TA 2017 - Technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission (COM(2017) 101 final)
Dear Chair,
The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL), as well as its Working Group on the EGF, examined the mobilisation of the EGF for the case EGF/2017/000 TA 2017 and adopted the following opinion.
The EMPL Committee and its Working Group on the EGF are in favour of the mobilisation of the Fund concerning this request. In this respect, the Committee presents some remarks without, however, calling into question the transfer of the payments:
A) Whereas the amount of 310 000 Euros proposed to be mobilised by the Commission for technical assistance in 2017 is below the maximum of 0.5% of the annual maximum amount of the EGF (150 million Euros at 2011 prices) as laid down by Article 12 of Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1311/2013 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2014-2020;
B) Whereas the proposed amount represents a significantly higher percentage of the annual amount spent on the EGF in previous years;
C) Whereas the integration of the EGF into the electronic data exchange system (SFC2014) continues in 2017;
D) Whereas the technical assistance provided by the Commission to the Member States supports and enhances the use of the EGF by providing information on the applications and by spreading best practice among the Member States;
Therefore, the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs calls on the Committee on Budgets, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following suggestions in its motion for a resolution concerning the mobilisation of the fund for technical assistance of the Commission:
1. Acknowledges the measures proposed by the Commission as Technical Assistance correspond to those mentioned in Article 11(1) and (4) and Article 12(2), (3) and (4) of the EGF Regulation;
2. Welcomes the reduction in the 2017 funding request for EGF technical assistance as compared to 2016; considers that it is important to assess such requests as a percentage of the annual amounts that have been used for the EGF in previous years and not only against the maximum that could be spent this year;
3. Welcomes the continuing integration of reporting into the electronic data exchange system (SFC2014); considers that standardised applications and reporting ease the administrative burden for the Member States and facilitate the production of reports that can be used for evaluation purposes;
4. Notes that the procedure to integrate the EGF into SFC2014 has been continuing for several years and the relevant costs for EGF budget have been relatively high; welcomes the reduction in costs compared to previous years, reflecting the fact that the project has now reached the stage of only requiring further fine tuning and adjustments;
5. Recalls the importance of networking and exchange of information on the EGF, so as to spread best practice; supports, therefore, the funding of two meetings of the EGF Expert Group of Contact Persons and two networking seminars on EGF implementation; expects that this exchange of information will also contribute to better and more detailed reporting on the success rate of the applications in the Member States, in particular about the re-employment rate of beneficiaries;
6. Welcomes the Commission’s readiness to invite Members of its EGF Working Group to participate in the recent EGF Networking Seminar that took place in Mons; calls on the Commission to continue to invite the Parliament to these meetings and seminars in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Framework Agreement on relations between the European Parliament and the European Commission[1]; welcomes social partners also being invited to participate;
7. Underlines the importance of increasing general awareness about the EGF and its visibility; reminds applicant Member States of their role in publicising the actions funded by EGF to the targeted beneficiaries, local and regional authorities, social partners, the media and the general public, as set out in Article 12 of the Regulation.
Yours sincerely,
Thomas Händel
EMPL Chair
- [1] Official Journal of the European Union L 304/47 20.11.2010
ANNEX: LETTER FROM THE COMMITTEE ON REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Mr Jean ARTHUIS
Chairman
Committee on Budgets
European Parliament
Subject: Mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund
Dear Mr Arthuis,
A Commission proposal for a decision to mobilise the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) has been referred for opinion to the Committee on Regional Development. I understand that it is intended that a report on this will be adopted in the Committee on Budgets on 3 April 2017:
- COM(2017) 101 proposes to mobilise the EGF in order to provide the sum of EUR 310 000 for technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission.
The rules applicable to financial contributions from the 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 1927/2006.
The Committee coordinators have assessed this proposal, and asked me to write to you reporting that the majority of this Committee has no objection to this mobilisation of the EGF to allocate the above-mentioned amount as proposed by the Commission.
Yours sincerely,
Iskra MIHAYLOVA
INFORMATION ON ADOPTION IN COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE
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Date adopted |
3.4.2017 |
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Result of final vote |
+: –: 0: |
30 5 1 |
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Members present for the final vote |
Nedzhmi Ali, Jean Arthuis, Lefteris Christoforou, Gérard Deprez, Manuel dos Santos, José Manuel Fernandes, Eider Gardiazabal Rubial, Jens Geier, Ingeborg Gräßle, Iris Hoffmann, Bernd Kölmel, Zbigniew Kuźmiuk, Clare Moody, Siegfried Mureşan, Victor Negrescu, Liadh Ní Riada, Jan Olbrycht, Younous Omarjee, Pina Picierno, Paul Rübig, Petri Sarvamaa, Jordi Solé, Eleftherios Synadinos, Indrek Tarand, Isabelle Thomas, Monika Vana, Daniele Viotti, Marco Zanni, Stanisław Żółtek |
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Substitutes present for the final vote |
Nicola Caputo, Ivana Maletić, Andrey Novakov, Marco Valli, Tomáš Zdechovský |
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Substitutes under Rule 200(2) present for the final vote |
Othmar Karas, Bernd Lucke |
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FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL IN COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE
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30 |
+ |
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ALDE |
Nedzhmi Ali, Jean Arthuis, Gérard Deprez |
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ECR |
Zbigniew Kuźmiuk |
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GUE/NGL |
Liadh Ní Riada, Younous Omarjee |
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PPE |
Lefteris Christoforou, José Manuel Fernandes, Ingeborg Gräßle, Othmar Karas, Ivana Maletić, Siegfried Mureşan, Andrey Novakov, Jan Olbrycht, Paul Rübig, Petri Sarvamaa, Tomáš Zdechovský |
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S&D |
Nicola Caputo, Eider Gardiazabal Rubial, Jens Geier, Iris Hoffmann, Clare Moody, Victor Negrescu, Pina Picierno, Isabelle Thomas, Daniele Viotti, Manuel dos Santos |
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Verts/ALE |
Jordi Solé, Indrek Tarand, Monika Vana |
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5 |
- |
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ECR |
Bernd Kölmel, Bernd Lucke |
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EFDD |
Marco Valli |
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ENF |
Stanisław Żółtek |
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NI |
Eleftherios Synadinos |
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1 |
0 |
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ENF |
Marco Zanni |
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Key to symbols:
+ : in favour
- : against
0 : abstention