What changed

25.2.2026

P10_TA(2026)0073

Mr Johan Van Overtveldt

Mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers: application EGF/2025/004 BE/Tupperware - Belgium

Chair

Committee on Budgets

BRUSSELS

PE782.416

Subject:European OpinionParliament resolution of 11 March 2026 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 Belgium -– EGF/2025/004 BE/Tupperware (2026/0004(BUD))(COM(2026)0001 – C10-0012/2026 – 2026/0004(BUD))

Dear Mr Chair,

– having regard to the Commission proposal to the European Parliament and the Council ((COM(2026)0001 – C100012/2026),

Under the procedure referred to above, the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs has been asked to submit an opinion to your committee and 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 25 February 2026. 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 ("MFF Regulation"), 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 European Pillar of Social Rights,

OPINION

– having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs,

A. Whereas, on 28 August 2025, Belgium submitted an application EGF/2025/004 BE/Tupperware for a financial contribution from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers (EGF), following displacements in Tupperware General Services NV in Belgium, operating in the economic sector classified under the NACE Revision 2 division 22 (Manufacture of rubber and plastic products), where the redundancies located in the NUTS 2 region of Provincie Oost-Vlaanderen (BE23);

– having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgets (A10-0030/2026),

B. Whereas Belgium 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 200 displaced workers over a reference period of four months (in this case from 17 February 2025 to 17 June 2025) in an enterprise in a Member State, including workers displaced in suppliers and downstream producers and / or self-employed persons whose activity has ceased; whereas, following its assessment of this application, the Commission has concluded, in accordance with all applicable provisions of the EGF Regulation, that the conditions for awarding a financial contribution from the EGF are met;

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 events and changes in world trade patterns, and to assist their reintegration into the labour market; whereas this assistance is made through a financial support given to workers;

C. Whereas the application relates to 267 displaced workers (eligible beneficiaries) whose activity has ceased in the economic sectors indicated above;

B. whereas Belgium submitted application EGF/2025/004 BE/Tupperware for a financial contribution from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) following 267 displacements in Tupperware General Services NV (Tupperware), in the economic sector classified under the NACE Revision 2 division 22 (Manufacture of rubber and plastic products) in the province of East-Flanders (BE23), within a reference period from 17 February 2025 to 17 June 2025;

D. Whereas on 20 January 2026, the Commission adopted a proposal for a decision on the mobilisation of the EGF in favour of Belgium to support the reintegration in the labour market of 267 targeted beneficiaries;

C. 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 four months in an enterprise in a Member State;

E. Whereas the American corporation Tupperware Brands, parent company of Tupperware Belgium, unexpectedly revoked the manufacturing and sales licenses granted to Tupperware General Services NV, rendering the Belgian subsidiary of Tupperware financially inviable and leading to its bankruptcy on 17 February 2025; whereas in October 2024, Tupperware Brands was taken over by creditors, where this acquisition led to a significant restructuring, with the company withdrawing from some non-core markets and closing facilities, such as the European plants;

D. whereas Tupperware filed for bankruptcy on 17 February 2025; whereas in Belgium bankruptcies are on the rise since 2022;

F. Whereas, in Belgium, bankruptcies are on the rise since 2022; whereas in 2024, more than 11 000 enterprises were declared bankrupt (6 323 in Flanders), the highest number since 2013; whereas this uptrend has continued, where between January and September 2025, 8 493 enterprises went bankrupt of which 4 964 or 58% in Flanders; whereas, as a result of bankruptcies, 32 566 jobs were lost in Belgium in 2024 and 15 351 in the first half of 2025, of which the job losses in Flanders represent 59% and 51% respectively; whereas about 18% of the job losses happened in the industry; whereas, furthermore, recent restructuring events such as the displacements at Van Hool, Sappi and Purmo, BelGaN, Casa and Audi, for which Belgium applied for EGF support, are affecting the Flemish labour market: job openings in the industry have declined;

E. whereas Belgium indicated that VDAB is providing the national pre-financing and co-funding of the measures;

G. Whereas Tupperware was in Aalst, one of the six administrative districts of the Province of East Flanders; whereas East Flanders saw a decline in the number of vacancies reported to the public employment services by 13,8% in May 2025 year on year; whereas, furthermore, before the closure of Tupperware, Aalst was already struggling with the lowest employment rate of Flanders, 53,82%, which is 20 percentage points lower than Flanders' average employment rate (74,1%); whereas the unemployment rate in Flanders is around 3,8%; whereas, however, it rises to 8,8% (+5 percentage points) among people with low levels of education; whereas one in three former Tupperware workers has a low level of education, specific support tailored to these profiles is needed to help workers overcome their shortcomings and find new jobs;

F. whereas the requirements laid down in Union and national legislation concerning collective redundancies have been met;

H. Whereas Belgium has indicated that the co-ordinated package of personalised services has been drawn up in consultation with the social partners, in compliance with Article 7(4) of the EGF Regulation;

G. 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, while preparing them for a greener and more digital European economy;

I.H. Whereaswhereas 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) No 2020/2093 of 17 December 2020 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2021 to 2027;prices);

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:

1. Agrees with the Commission that the conditions set out in the EGF Regulation and in particular in Article 4(2), point (a), thereof are met and that Belgium is entitled to a financial contribution of EUR 1 622 650 under that Regulation, which represents 85 % of the total cost of EUR 1 909 000, comprising expenditure for personalised services of EUR 1 843 500 and expenditure for preparatory, management, information and publicity, control and reporting activities of EUR 65 500;

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;

2. Notes that the Belgian authorities submitted the application on 28 August 2025, and that, following the receipt of additional information by Belgium, the Commission finalised its assessment on 20 January 2026, almost five months later, and notified it to Parliament on the same day; 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;

2. Agrees with the Commission that the conditions set out in Article 4(2), point (a), of the EGF Regulation are met and that Belgium is entitled to a financial contribution of EUR 1 622 650 under that Regulation, which represents 85 % of the total cost of EUR 1 909 000, comprising expenditure for personalised services of EUR 1 843 500 and expenditure for preparatory, management, information and publicity, control and reporting activities of EUR 65 500;

3. Notes that the application relates to 267 targeted beneficiaries made redundant in Tupperware;

3. Notes the fact that Belgium has provided all necessary assurances that the requirements laid down in national and EU legislation concerning collective redundancies have been complied with and that the principles of equality of treatment and non-discrimination will be respected in access to the proposed measures and their implementation;

4. Notes that Tupperware was located in Aalst in the Province of East Flanders where only one in two people were employed, compared to two in three on average across the Flanders region, already before Tupperware’s bankruptcy; regrets that these redundancies will further aggravate the situation; stresses that swift action is needed to prevent structural regional decline;

4. Recalls the profile of the redundant workers, where more than half of the dismissed workers is over 50 years old and a third lower secondary education or less, 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;

5. Deplores that the American parent corporation Tupperware Brands was taken over by creditors in October 2024 and, due to a significant restructuring, revoked the manufacturing and licences granted to Tupperware General Services NV, rendering the Belgian subsidiary financially inviable and leading to its bankruptcy on 17 February 2025;

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

6. Welcomes the initiative by a group of European entrepreneurs aiming to revive the brand in Germany, France, Belgium, Italy, and Poland;

6. Notes the personalised coordinated package to be provided to displaced workers consists of the following measures: (a) taskforce (information sessions to be organised by account managers with in-depth knowledge of the local labour market and consultants experienced in providing guidance in collective redundancies processes), (b) Outplacement (outplacement services provided in group or individual sessions, an initial interview and individual guidance, certification of acquired skills, guidance on using digital platform for job searching, etc.; those in need of ICT training will receive basic training and additional support through digibanks, where workers can borrow a laptop, receive training on how to use it, etc.), (c) assistance in finding a job, (d) guidance, (e) reinforced job-search assistance, (f) training and retraining, (g) training at the workplace, (h) job fair, and (i) job-scouting and job-matching; given the age and educational profile of the targeted beneficiaries stresses the specific needs of these groups should be taken into account when providing personalised services;

7. Emphasises that in Flanders unemployment risk is more than double for people with a low level of education; notes that one third of the displaced workers have no more than a lower secondary education level; calls on Belgian authorities to provide specific support tailored to these profiles to help workers overcome their shortcomings and find new jobs, while taking measures to reduce bankruptcies and address social disparities leading to exclusion of work force;

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 provide support to both digitally illiterate and to those who have some digital skills, supported by 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;

8. Recalls that, in agreement with trade unions, experts and social partners, personalised services to be provided to the workers consist of the following measures: information sessions for reintegration into employment, outplacement services, including ICT training; assistance in finding a job through guidance and job-search assistance, training and retraining, job fair, job-scouting and job-matching; emphasises the importance of fostering high-quality, future-oriented jobs to ensure long-term economic and social resilience; calls on for Belgian authorities to establish a dialogue with the new European Tupperware representatives to explore possibilities for reintegration of displaced workers in their economic activities;

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.

9. Emphasises that the qualifications and skills of the laid-off workers remain key to a future-proof European economy; considers therefore 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; recalls further that the EGF is an instrument of solidarity and just transition and that the Union’s primary task must be to prevent such closures in the first place; considers that, while the EGF provides necessary support to affected workers, a stronger industrial policy, a more robust, sustainable and resilient economy, and the diminution of strategic dependencies are essential to safeguard the European industrial employment base;

10. Stresses that the Belgian authorities shall ensure the visibility of the Union funding and highlight its added value by providing effective and targeted information to beneficiaries, regional and local authorities, social partners, and the wider public;

11. Calls for thorough final evaluations of the measures implemented, including clear information on how the funds have been used and whether they were spent in line with the approved plans; stresses that such evaluations should be based on clearly defined objectives and measurable results, allowing an assessment of the outcomes delivered for the workers concerned; underlines the importance of ensuring faster and more effective interventions and recalls, in this context, the need to explore ways to ensure the sustainability of the EGF, or its successor programme, in the framework of the next Multiannual Financial Framework 2028–2034;

12. Notes that Belgium started providing personalised services to the targeted beneficiaries on 17 February 2025 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 financing decision;

13. Notes that Belgium started incurring administrative expenditure to implement the EGF on 17 February 2025 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 financing decision;

14. Notes that the Belgian 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;

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

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 Belgium – EGF/2025/004 BE/Tupperware

(The text of this annex is not reproduced here since it corresponds to the final act, Decision (EU) 2026/723.)