The European Parliament,

–  having regard to the Commission proposal to the European Parliament and the Council (COM(2014)0116 – C7‑0101/2014),

–  having regard to Regulation (EC) No 1927/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 on establishing the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund(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 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 report of the Committee on Budgets (A7-0260/2014),

A.  whereas the European 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 and to assist their reintegration into the labour market,

B.  whereas the Union’s financial 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 for the IIA of 2 December 2013 in respect of the adoption of decisions to mobilise the EGF,

C.  whereas Spain submitted application EGF/2012/004 ES/Grupo Santana(4) for a financial contribution from the EGF, following 330 redundancies in Grupo Santana and 15 suppliers and downstream producers with 285 workers targeted for EFG co-funded measures, during the reference period from 15 November 2011 to 15 March 2012,

D.  whereas the application fulfils the eligibility criteria set up by the EGF Regulation,

1.  Agrees with the Commission that the conditions set out in Article 2(c) of the EGF Regulation are met and that, therefore, Spain is entitled to a financial contribution under that Regulation;

2.  Notes the explanations of the Commission that the 330 layoffs within the reference period and the additional 689 redundancies are related to the same collective dismissal procedure and that the dismissals combined with very fragile economic and social situation of the region fulfil the condition of exceptionality of the case in line with Article 2(c) of the EGF Regulation;

3.  Notes that the Spanish authorities submitted the application for EGF financial contribution on 16 May 2012 and regrets that its assessment was made available by the European Commission only on 5 March 2014; deplores the lengthy period of evaluation of 22 months and believes that this delay contradicts the aim of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund to provide a quick aid to workers made redundant;

4.  Considers that the redundancies in Grupo Santana and 15 suppliers and downstream producers are linked to major structural changes in world trade patterns due to globalisation, referring to a reduction of the EU share in world motor vehicle production and the rapid growth in Asian markets which EU producers are less able to benefit from;

5.  Notes that the 330 redundancies in question along with the 689 redundancies due to the same cause before and after the four-month reference period have a significantly negative impact on employment and the economy at local and NUTS III level, and aggravates already fragile economic situation of the affected territory;

6.  Notes that this is yet another EGF application addressing dismissals in the automotive sector and that with 17 applications this sector has been subject to the most numerous EGF applications submitted both in relation to crisis and to globalisation criterion; points out that this is another case concerning the automotive industry which demonstrates the need for a Union industrial strategy and illustrates how the EGF assists workers in the restructuring process;

7.  Welcomes the fact that the region of Andalucia, where the unemployment rate is much higher than the national and Union average, yet again avails itself of the EGF; points to the fact that EGF has already supported workers of Delphi located in Andalucia (EGF/2008/002 ES/Delphi);

8.  Welcomes the fact that in order to provide workers with speedy assistance, the Spanish authorities decided to initiate the implementation of the personalised services to the affected workers on 1 August 2011, ten months before EGF application submission and well ahead of the final decision on granting the EGF support for the proposed coordinated package;

9.  Notes that the coordinated package of personalised services to be co-funded includes measures for the reintegration of 285 redundant workers into employment such as vocational on-the-job training, counselling to business projects, active job search assistance and job matching;

10.  Welcomes the fact that the training offered is of considerable length and that it will be complemented with on-the-job activities; welcomes the fact that the training will be matched to the skills and qualifications needs of the enterprises settling in the business park, which makes part of the measures provided in addition to the EGF funded package;

11.  In this context, welcomes the fact that the city of Linares, heavily affected by the closure of Santana (and of its suppliers) which was the main employer in the municipality, took a global and comprehensive approach reflected in the strategy of rehabilitation of Grupo Santana business park to attract new investors; is of the view that the fact that the city of Linares decided to improve the environment for businesses will boost the effect of the EGF measures targeting workers;

12.  Welcomes the fact that the city of Linares consulted the package with the social partners (trade unions MCA-UGT Andalucía and Federación de la industria de CCOO-Andalucía) and that the social partners are monitoring the implementation of the measures, and that a policy of equality of women and men as well as the principle of non-discrimination will be applied during the various stages of the implementation of and in access to the EGF;

13.  Recalls 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; expects the training on offer in the coordinated package to be adapted not only to the needs of the dismissed workers but also to the actual business environment;

14.  Points out the fact that the EGF will provide "training wage" allowances amounting to 150% of the Spanish minimum wage; welcomes however the confirmation of the Commission that those allowances do not substitute the unemployment benefits and will be provided in addition to the unemployment benefits paid out under the national legislation; stresses in this context that the new EGF regulation for 2014-2020 will limit the inclusion of financial allowances in the package to a maximum of 35% of the cost of the measures and that accordingly the rate of allowances within the coordinated package for this demand will not repeat under this new regulation;

15.  Welcomes the Spanish regional and Linares local authorities initiative to invest in the industrial facilities and promotion of the renewed industrial area in order to attract new companies and to diversify its industrial structure rather than focusing on the automotive sector; underlines that these efforts are not submitted for EGF co-financing and are financed by regional and local budgets under severe constrains after the loss of tax income due to the plant closure;

16.  Notes that the information provided on the coordinated package of personalised services to be funded from the EGF includes information on complementarity with actions funded by the Structural Funds; stresses that the Spanish authorities confirm that the eligible actions do not receive assistance from other Union financial instruments; reiterates its call to the Commission to present a comparative evaluation of those data in its annual reports in order to ensure full respect of the existing regulations and that no duplication of Union-funded services can occur;

17.  Stresses that, in accordance with Article 6 of the EGF Regulation, it shall be ensured that the EGF supports the reintegration of individual redundant workers into stable employment; stresses, furthermore, that EGF assistance can co-finance only active labour market measures which lead to durable, long-term employment; reiterates that assistance from the EGF must not replace actions which are the responsibility of companies by virtue of national law or collective agreements nor measures restructuring companies or sectors;

18.  Welcomes the agreement reached between the European Parliament and the Council regarding the new EGF Regulation, for the period 2014-2020, to reintroduce the crisis mobilisation criterion, to increase 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 European Parliament and the Council by shortening 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;

19.  Approves the decision annexed to this resolution;

20.  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;

21.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution, including its annex, to the Council and the Commission.

(1) OJ L 406, 30.12.2006, p. 1. (2) OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 884. (3) OJ C 373, 20.12.2013, p. 1. (4) Santana Motor S.A.U.; Santana Motor Andalucía S.L.U. and Santana Militar S.L.U.

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

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/2012/004 ES/Grupo Santana from Spain)

(The text of this annex is not reproduced here since it corresponds to the final act, Decision 2014/253/EU.)