What changed

D. whereas Casa filed for bankruptcy on 6 March 2025; whereas in Belgium bankruptcies are on the rise since 2022;

D. whereas Casa filed for bankruptcy on 6 March 2025; whereas in Belgium bankruptcies are on the rise since 2022, particularly in the retail sector, which is undergoing a profound structural transformation driven by the rise of e-commerce and shifting consumer habits; whereas women represent 67,5 % of the workforce concerned in this case; stresses therefore that the support measures under the EGF should take into account the specific needs and barriers faced by those women in re-entering the labour market;

2. Notes that the Belgian authorities submitted the application on 23 September 2025, and that, following the receipt of additional information from Belgium, the Commission finalised its assessment on 6 February 2026 and notified it to Parliament on 11 February 2026; stresses the importance of shortening the time between the submission of an application for EGF assistance and the financing decision, while fully safeguarding the rights of the European Parliament as one arm of the budgetary authority;

4. Takes note that Casa experienced financial difficulties for several years prior to the bankruptcy declaration, stemming from the growing prevalence of e-commerce, heightened international competition and unfair competitive conditions, which ultimately resulted in severe liquidity shortages and the inability to identify potential purchasers for the company; highlights the need for enhancing of business management’s capacity to prevent lay-offs by adapting to current geopolitical context and to proactively cope with major restructuring events;

5. Notes that, while displaced sales assistants have most favourable employment prospects, warehouse workers face greater difficulties in securing new positions and require additional support through upskilling, reskilling, relocation, or redeployment; calls on Belgian authorities to provide specific tailored support to help workers overcome their shortcomings and find new jobs aligned with labour market needs; emphasizes that reintegrating the laid-off workers is key to a future proof European economy with a strong industrial base;

6. Regrets that the rise in bankruptcies over the past two years had a negative impact on the employment rate in some regions in Belgium, particularly in Brussels and Olen (Province of Antwerp); notes that around 45 000 jobs were lost in Belgium within 18 months due to bankruptcies, mostly occurred in Flanders; emphasizes that in Flanders the unemployment risk is more than double for people with a low level of education; stresses the importance of a business-friendly environment that enables enterprises to remain competitive, creates jobs and contributes to sustainable economic growth.

7. Recalls that, in agreement with experts and social partners, personalised services to be provided to the workers consist of the following measures: info-sessions for guidance on work reintegration; outplacement services to guide workers in their job searching; active mediation focusing on each jobseeker’s profile; personalised programmes for skills development, including IT skills; training and retraining; individual training at the workplace; participation at job fair; emphasises the importance of fostering high-quality, future-oriented jobs that strengthen competitiveness and support digital transformation, while ensuring that the EGF is properly implemented and contributes to the Union’s long-term economic and social resilience; stresses that social partners should be involved throughout the entire implementation of the EGF measures, including the monitoring phase, to ensure the quality and relevance of the support offered to beneficiaries;

8. Recalls that the EGF is an instrument of solidarity and just transition and while it provides support following job losses, it cannot replace a proactive industrial policy; considers that the mobilisation of the EGF needs to be embedded in a larger policy response on all political levels to ensure that the workers affected find adequate opportunities in line with their qualifications and skills; stresses that the Union’s primary task must be to prevent such closures in the first place, by creating the conditions to keep industrial production competitive, while at the same time investing in skills for both highly qualified and industrial workers; underlines the need to provide specific support tailored to profiles of workers with low-levels of education, while taking measures to reduce bankruptcies and address social disparities leading to exclusion from the workforce;