What changed

8.9.2025

P10_TA(2025)0219

Mr Johan Van Overtveldt

Mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers following an application from Germany – EGF/2025/002 DE/Goodyear 2

Chair

Committee on Budgets

BRUSSELS

PE776.828

Subject:European OpinionParliament resolution of 8 October 2025 on Mobilisationthe proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers following an application from Germany – EGF/2025/002 DE/Goodyear 2 (2025/0245(BUD))(COM(2025)0302 – C10-0182/2025 – 2025/0245(BUD))

Dear Mr Chair,

– having regard to the Commission proposal to the European Parliament and the Council (COM(2025)0302 – C10-0182/2025),

Under the procedure referred to above, the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs has been asked to submit an opinion to your committee. At its meeting of 2 September 2025, the committee decided to send the opinion in the form of a letter.

– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/691 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 April 2021 on the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers (EGF) and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1309/2013 (“EGF Regulation”),

The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs considered the matter at its meeting of 8 September 2025. At that meeting, it decided to submit the opinion set out below to the Committee on Budgets, as the committee responsible.

– having regard to Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093 of 17 December 2020 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2021-2027 as amended by Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/765, and in particular Article 8 thereof,

Yours sincerely,

– having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 16 December 2020 between the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management, as well as on new own resources, including a roadmap towards the introduction of new own resources, and in particular point 9 thereof,

Li Andersson

– having regard to the letter from the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs,

OPINION

– having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgets (A10-0168/2025),

A. Whereas, on 10 March 2025, Germany submitted an application to mobilise the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers (EGF) in accordance with Article 8(1) of Regulation (EU) 2021/691 (EGF Regulation), following displacements in Goodyear (Goodyear Germany GmbH) in Germany; whereas the enterprise operated in the economic sector classified under the NACE Revision 2 Division 22 (Manufacture of rubber and plastic products); whereas the redundancies are located in the NUTS 2 regions of Kassel (DE73) and Darmstadt (DE71), concerning job displacements in Goodyear’s production sites in Fulda and Hanau;

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; whereas this assistance is provided through financial support given to workers and the companies for which they worked;

B. Whereaswhereas Germany submitted the application under the intervention criteria of Article 4(2), point (a), of Regulation (EU) 2021/691, which requires the cessation of activity of at least 200EGF/2025/002 displacedDE/Goodyear workers2 overfor a reference period of four monthsfinancial (incontribution thisfrom casethe fromEuropean fromGlobalisation 1Adjustment SeptemberFund 2024(EGF), tofollowing 1 January171 2025)displacements in anthe enterpriseeconomic insector aclassified Memberunder State,the includingNACE workersRevision displaced2 indivision suppliers22 and(Manufacture downstreamof producersrubber and / or self-employed personsplastic whoseproducts) activityin hasthe ceased;regions whereas,of followingKassel its(DE73) assessmentand ofDarmstadt this(DE71) application,with the747 Commissiondisplacements haswithin concluded,a inreference accordanceperiod withfor allthe applicableapplication provisionsfrom of1 theSeptember EGF2024 Regulation,to that1 theJanuary conditions2025, forand awarding424 adisplacements financialbefore contributionor fromafter the EGF arereference met;period;

C. Whereas the application relates to 1 171 displaced workers whose activity has ceased;

C. whereas for the 424 displacements whose activity ceased before or after the 4-month reference period, a clear causal link can be established with the event that triggered the cessation of activity for the displaced workers during the reference period as required by Article 6(2) of the EGF Regulation;

D. Whereas on 26 August 2025, the Commission submitted a proposal for a decision on the mobilisation of the EGF in favour of Germany to support the reintegration in the labour market of 915 targeted beneficiaries to the Parliament and the Council;

D. whereas the application is based on the intervention criteria of Article 4(2), point (a), of the EGF Regulation, which requires the cessation of activity of at least 200 displaced workers or self-employed persons over a reference period of 4 months, in an enterprise in a Member State, including workers displaced in suppliers and downstream producers;

E. Whereas the events giving rise to these displacements are the closure of one of the Goodyear's production sites in Germany and the partial closure of another, both due to globalisation; whereas the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company is one of the world’s leading tyre manufacturers with its German headquarters are located in Hanau; whereas at the end of 2017, Goodyear had to shut down its production site in Philippsburg, which was subject of EGF application EGF/2017/008 DE/Goodyear; whereas, as part of a further restructuring process, the current application follows the closure of the production site in Fulda, and a partial shut-down of production facilities in Hanau; whereas other plants in Germany are located in Fürstenwalde, Wittlich and Riesa; whereas the rapid decline in demand in the tyre sector, combined with strong pressure from cheap imports from Asia and ongoing cost increases (energy, wages) led to structural overcapacity, particularly in Germany; whereas, therefore, in June 2024, Goodyear decided to shut down production at the Fulda site, leading to its closure, and to reduce staff at other sites, in particular in Hanau;

E. whereas the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and rising inflation have had an impact on the cost of energy, materials and labour, increasing pressure on the the Goodyear company’s margins;

F. Whereas the Commission stressed that finding new employment would be a tremendous challenge for most Goodyear workers and will require significant action, whereas in many cases, their qualifications are outdated, and the conventional rubber-working skills profiles of these workers are greatly at odds with the employment needs in regions concerned;

F. whereas Goodyear Germany GmbH is specialised in the manufacture of rubber and plastic products, particularly tyres; whereas the company has been significantly affected by intensified competition from low-cost imports originating from Asia;

H. Whereas Germany has indicated that a work agreement between the employer and the works council was concluded on 24 June 2024 to set up a transfer company; whereas, according to the German authorities, there is no obligation on the part of the dismissing enterprise to create or contribute towards the creation of a transfer company; whereas, without the participation of the dismissing enterprise, no transfer company would be set up; whereas, however, if the dismissing enterprise offers to participate, and if the social partners agree to the creation of a transfer company, German social law sets the legal frame; whereas, entry into these transfer companies takes place in several waves, based on the tripartite agreements signed between Goodyear Germany GmbH, the employees, and PMB International GmbH, the service provider chosen to manage the transfer company;

G. whereas this is the second mobilisation of the EGF requested by the German authorities following a restructuring of the Goodyear company, as the EGF was mobilised following the closure of one of the company’s plants in Philippsburg in 2017;

I. Whereas the EGF shall not exceed a maximum annual amount of EUR 30 million (in 2018 prices), as laid down in Article 8 of Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093 of 17 December 2020 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2021 to 2027 amended by Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/765 of 29 February 2024.

H. whereas the rapid decline in demand, combined with increasing production costs, compelled the company to undertake a restructuring process, which involved the closure of one of its production sites and the partial closure of another in Germany in 2024;

Therefore, the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs calls on the Committee on Budgets, as the committee responsible, to integrate the following suggestions in its motion for a resolution:

I. whereas the German Federal budget as well as by Bundesagentur für Arbeit are providing the national pre-financing and co-funding of the measures;

1. Recalls that the objective of the EGF is to demonstrate solidarity with, and provide support to beneficiaries; considers that financial contributions from the EGF should be primarily directed at active labour market policy measures and personalised services that aim to reintegrate beneficiaries rapidly into decent and sustainable employment within or outside their initial sector of activity; stresses the importance of preparing and supporting workers for the urgently needed green and digital transitions of the European economy and society; reiterates in this context the important role the Union plays, including through the EGF, in contributing to the financing of necessary qualifications for the just transition in line with the European Green Deal;

J. whereas the requirements laid down in Union and national legislation concerning collective redundancies have been complied with;

2. Agrees with the Commission that the conditions set out in Article 4(2), point (a), of the EGF Regulation are met and that Germany is entitled to a financial contribution of is EUR 3 085 166 under that Regulation, which represents 60 % of the total cost of EUR 5 141 944, comprising expenditure for personalised services of EUR 4 936 274 and expenditure for preparatory, management, information and publicity, control and reporting activities of EUR 205 670;

K. whereas financial contributions from the EGF should be primarily directed at active labour market policy measures and personalised services that aim to reintegrate beneficiaries rapidly into decent and sustainable employment within or outside their initial sector of activity, while preparing them for a greener and more digital European economy;

3. Notes that low skilled and older workers have far fewer opportunities to re-enter the labour market in the region and that the redundancies in Goodyear hit these vulnerable groups the hardest; recalls the profile of the redundant workers, with more that two in five dismissed workers is over 50 years old and more than half have secondary education or less, and outdated skills, and considers that, along with the downward trend in vacancies and its geographical distribution, the workers will need additional tailored support, particularly targeted assistance focusing on upskilling and retraining, to help them succeed the transition to employment;

L. whereas the EGF shall not exceed a maximum annual amount of EUR 30 million (in 2018 prices), as laid down in Article 8 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093 as amended by Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/765;

4. Notes that as of 20 February 2025, a total of 915 tripartite contracts have been concluded between Goodyear, the employees, and PMB International GmbH, the service provider chosen to manage the transfer company, with 781 entries scheduled for Fulda and 134 for Hanau; welcomes the indication that these numbers are expected to increase as more agreements are signed;

1. Agrees with the Commission that the conditions set out in Article 4(2), point (a), of the EGF Regulation are met and that Germany is entitled to a financial contribution of EUR 3 085 166 under that Regulation, which represents 60 % of the total cost of EUR 5 141 944, comprising expenditure for personalised services of EUR 4 936 274 and expenditure for preparatory, management, information and publicity, control and reporting activities of EUR 205 670;

3. Notes the fact that Germany has provided all necessary assurances that the principles of equality of treatment and non-discrimination will be respected in access to the proposed measures and their implementation, that the requirements laid down in national and EU legislation concerning collective redundancies have been complied with, that Goodyear Germany GmbH, which has continued its activities after the lay-offs, has complied with its legal obligations and provided for its workers accordingly, that any double financing will be prevented, and that the financial contribution from the EGF will comply with the procedural and material Union rules on State aid;

2. Notes that the German authorities submitted the application on 10 March 2025, and that, following the provision of additional information by Germany, the Commission finalised its assessment on 29 July 2025, more than four months later, and notified it to Parliament on 26 August 2025;

5. Stresses that Germany has confirmed that the measures supported by the EGF will not receive any financial contributions from other Union financial instruments;

3. Notes that the application relates to 1 171 displaced workers affected by the closure of the production site in Fulda and the partial shut-down of production facilities in Hanau; notes further that 915 displaced workers in total will be targeted beneficiaries and are expected to participate in the measures;

6. Notes that personalised services to be provided to the workers consist of the following measures: (a) upskilling measures, (b) guidance counseling and vocational orientation / activation measures, (c) business start-up advisory services, (d) business start-up grants, (e) job search assistance, (f) upskilling incentives, (g) further incentives (i.e., a bonus for taking up employment during the duration of the transfer company, etc.), (h) training allowance; welcomes the fact that digital basic skills (Digitale Grundqualifizierung) trainings will be offered based on individual prior knowledge; stresses that, given the age and educational profile of the targeted beneficiaries, the specific needs of these groups should be taken into account when providing personalised services;

4. Takes note that most of the displaced workers have a low level of education (56 % with lower secondary education or less) and are aged 54 year or over (42 %); underlines that older workers in particular constitute a highly vulnerable group, facing significant barriers to re-employment due to limited opportunities for upskilling and retraining;

7. Stresses in particular the importance of Article 7.2 of the EGF Regulation, which requires the coordinated package to anticipate future labour market perspectives and required skills, which are compatible with the shift towards a resource-efficient and sustainable economy and with a particular focus on the dissemination of skills required in the digital industrial age; welcomes the fact that the package’s ICT training and additional support foreseen within the outplacement services includes such skills in particular a digital skills assessment and provisions for workers to borrow a laptop, receive training on how to use it and get answers to their digital questions;

5. Points out that the Goodyear redundancies increased the annual unemployment rate in the Fulda region by over 10 %, disproportionately impacting male workers and individuals over the age of 50, many of whom possess outdated qualifications and skill sets that are misaligned with current labour market demands; stresses that swift action is needed to prevent structural regional decline and emphasises the importance of fostering high-quality, future-oriented jobs to ensure long-term economic and social resilience;

8. Recalls the possibility for special time-limited measures within the coordinated package including, inter alia, to pay childcare allowances, as provided in Article 7.2 b of the EGF regulation to facilitate job seekers’ participation in the activities proposed.

6. Recalls that personalised services to be provided to the workers consist of the following actions: substantial upskilling or re-skilling measures, guidance and counselling and vocational orientation and activation measures, business start-up advisory services and grants, job search assistance, upskilling and top-ups incentives, training allowances, digital skills trainings; stresses in this context that a well-trained workforce is key to a future-proof European economy;

7. Considers it a social responsibility of the Union and Member States to provide the workers made redundant with the necessary qualifications for a future-proof European economy that accomplishes the digital and green transformation; considers therefore that the mobilisation of the EGF needs to be embedded in a larger policy response;

8. Calls for thorough final evaluations of the measures implemented, incorporating data on the number of workers successfully reintegrated into employment as well as those who have completed training and upskilling measures;

9. Notes that, as of 20 February 2025, a total of 915 tripartite contracts have been concluded between Goodyear, the employees, and PMB International GmbH, the service provider chosen to manage the transfer company, with 781 entries scheduled for Fulda and 134 for Hanau; welcomes the indication that these numbers are expected to increase as more agreements are signed;

10. Notes that Germany started providing personalised services to the targeted beneficiaries on 1 November 2024 and that the period of eligibility for a financial contribution from the EGF will therefore be from that date until 24 months after the date of the entry into force of the decision annexed to this resolution;

11. Notes that Germany started incurring administrative expenditure to implement the EGF on 1 November 2024 and that such expenditure shall therefore be eligible for a financial contribution from the EGF from that date until 31 months after the date of the entry into force of the decision annexed to this resolution;

12. Stresses that the German authorities provided assurance that the principles of equality of treatment and non-discrimination will be respected in the access to the proposed actions and their implementation, and that any double financing will be prevented;

13. Recalls that the German authorities acknowledge the origin of and ensure the visibility of Union funding, while highlighting the Union’s added value; stresses that this should be achieved through targeted information measures addressing beneficiaries, social partners and the media;

14. Reiterates that assistance from the EGF must not replace actions that are the responsibility of companies, by virtue of national law or collective agreements;

15. Stresses the urgent need for coherent and coordinated Union competitiveness efforts, developed in close partnership with the Member States, in order to safeguard Europe’s industrial employment base and social security; underlines that only a robust and resilient European economy can effectively prevent large-scale redundancies, thereby reducing the need for EGF intervention in the first place;

16. Approves the decision annexed to this resolution;

17. 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;

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

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers following an application from Germany – EGF/2025/002 DE/Goodyear 2

(The text of this annex is not reproduced here since it corresponds to the final act, Decision (EU) 2025/2135.)