What changed

Mr Johan Van Overtveldt

P10_TA(2026)0201

Chair

Mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers following an application from Belgium – EGF/2025/009 BE/Soliver

Committee on Budgets

BRUSSELS

PE787.923

Subject:European OpinionParliament resolution of 16 June 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/2025/009 BE/Soliver (2026/0097(BUD))(COM(2026)0050 – C10-0111/2026 – 2026/0097(BUD))

Dear Mr Chair,

– having regard to the Commission proposal to the European Parliament and the Council (COM(2026)0050 – C100111/2026),

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"), as amended by Regulation (EU) 2026/1139,

The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs considered the matter, and, at its meeting of 2 June 2026, 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 (“MFF Regulation”) 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 European Pillar of Social Rights,

OPINION

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

A. Whereas, on 22 December 2025, Belgium submitted an application EGF/2025/009 BE/Soliver for a financial contribution from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers (EGF), following displacements in Soliver NV (Soliver) in Belgium, that operated in the economic sector classified under the NACE Revision 2 division 46 (Wholesale trade), where jobs displaced by Soliver are located in the NUTS 2 regions of Provincie Oost-Vlaanderen (BE23) and Provincie West-Vlaanderen (BE25);

– having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgets (A10-0149/2026),

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 1 July 2025 to 1 November 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; whereas maintaining the competitiveness of European industry and strengthening investment in innovation and skills are essential to prevent further industrial decline and job losses across the Union;

C. Whereas the application relates to 803 displaced workers (eligible beneficiaries) in the economic sectors indicated above;

B. whereas Belgium submitted application EGF/2025/009 BE/Soliver for a financial contribution from the EGF following 803 displacements in Soliver NV (Soliver) in Belgium, in the economic sector classified under the NACE Revision 2 division 46 (Wholesale trade) in the regions of Provincie Oost-Vlaanderen (BE23) and Provincie West-Vlaanderen (BE25), Flanders, within a reference period from 1 July 2025 to 1 November 2025;

D. Whereas on 30 April 2026, the Commission adopted a proposal for a decision on the mobilisation of the EGF in favour of Belgium to support the reintegration of 803 targeted beneficiaries into the labour market;

C. whereas the application is based on the intervention criteria of Article 4(2), point (a), of the EGF Regulation;

E. Whereas Soliver, originally a Belgian family business producing glass products (e.g. construction and automotive glass), was acquired in 2018 by the American Glass Products Holding (AGP), shifting its focus exclusively to high-tech automotive glass; whereas after the acquisition, Soliver expanded with two new sites in East Flanders (Zwijnaarde and Evergem), alongside its original Rumbeke (West Flanders) plant; whereas Zwijnaarde specialised in sunroofs for electric cars and panoramic roofs for Ferrari, while Evergem aimed to boost Soliver’s overall production capacity; whereas, however, Zwijnaarde struggled due to delayed car model production, forcing the closure of two lines and reducing profitability; whereas Evergem proved unprofitable because of overcapacity and a downturn in the automotive sector; whereas unable to resolve its financial troubles, Soliver filed for bankruptcy in December 2024; whereas the Ghent Commercial Court declared Soliver's bankruptcy on 1 July 2025;

D. whereas Soliver filed for bankruptcy in December 2024; whereas in Belgium bankruptcies are on the rise since 2022 and unemployment is severely affecting several regions in Flanders;

F. Whereas, in 2025, 11 665 enterprises were declared bankrupt in Belgium, an increase of 5,0% compared to 2024 and of 13,6% compared to 2023; whereas most of them (57,8%) concerned enterprises located in Flanders; whereas, as a result of these bankruptcies, 28 945 jobs were lost, 52,8% of which were in Flanders;

E. whereas the workforce affected by the closure of Soliver includes a significant share of older workers, who face specific and compounded barriers to reintegration into the labour market, including age discrimination, skills mismatches and limited access to retraining opportunities; whereas targeted measures must be put in place to address the specific needs of older workers, including age-appropriate training formats, mentoring and cooperation with employers committed to age-diverse recruitment;

G. Whereas the territories most affected by Soliver's bankruptcy are the municipalities of Roeselare (West Flanders) and Ghent (East Flanders); whereas in January 2026, unemployment in West Flanders rose by 7,6% year-on-year (36 916 registered jobseekers, 16% of Flanders’ total), while East Flanders saw a 6,6% increase (54 154 jobseekers, 24% of Flanders’ total); whereas Roeselare’s unemployment rise (+9,6%) exceeded the provincial average by 2 percentage points (pp), whereas Ghent’s increase (+5,0%, 1.6pp below the provincial level) was less severe; whereas in 2025, the number of vacancies fell by 14% in Roeselare and 7% in Ghent compounding the cooling labour market; whereas Soliver’s redundancies worsened the local labour market situation;

F. whereas VDAB is providing the national pre-financing and co-funding of the measures;

H. Whereas, however, technically skilled workers – or those willing to reskill – are likely to find job opportunities due to a shortage of technical professionals, caused by low youth engagement in vocational training and an ageing workforce;

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

I. Whereas Belgium has indicated that the co-ordinated package of personalised services has been drawn up in consultation with trade unions, in compliance with Article 7(4) of the EGF Regulation; whereas the final package of measures was agreed with the General Confederation of Liberal Trade Unions of Belgium (ACLVB), the General Labour Federation of Belgium (ABVV), and the Confederation of Christian Trade Unions (ACV) in the first steering committee meeting held on 21 October 2025;

H. whereas financial contributions from the EGF should be primarily directed at active labour market policy measures and personalised services that aim to reintegrate beneficiaries durably and in quality employment conditions into the labour market while offering them skills training to facilitate their reintegration into the labour market;

J.I. 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 2 132 535 under that Regulation, which represents 85 % of the total cost of EUR 2 508 865, comprising expenditure for personalised services of EUR 2 412 465 and expenditure for preparatory, management, information and publicity, control and reporting activities of EUR 96 400;

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 22 December 2025, and that, following the receipt of additional information from Belgium, the Commission finalised its assessment, almost one month ahead of the deadline, on 30 April 2026 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 2 132 535 under that Regulation, which represents 85 % of the total cost of EUR 2 508 865, comprising expenditure for personalised services of EUR 2 412 465 and budget for implementing EGF of EUR 96 400;

3. Notes that the application relates to 803 targeted beneficiaries, made redundant in the company Soliver;

3. Notes the fact that Belgium has provided all necessary assurances that the requirements laid down in national and Union 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; notes that all procedural requirements were met; welcomes the involvement of the social partners;

4. Takes note that Soliver, a manufacturer of glass products for construction and the automotive sector, shifted its focus to exclusively high-tech automotive glass after its acquisition by American Glass Products Holding (AGP) in 2018; notes that the company began experiencing difficulties mainly linked to a downturn in the automotive sector, stemming from delayed production of car models its products were intended for, and which ultimately resulted in severe reduction of profitability and cumulated in bankruptcy;

4. Recalls the profile of the redundant workers, of which more than 75% are men, more than 90% of them are younger than 54 years, and more than 60% have upper-secondary, post-secondary or tertiary education; expects, therefore that these technically skilled workers should find new job opportunities without undue delay because of the growing need for technical professionals; notes, however, that a number of the redundant workers are third country nationals, who lack knowledge of the local languages, which ​​could pose an obstacle in this regard;

5. Notes that the glass industry is an energy-intensive sector and has been severely affected by persistently high energy prices, which have significantly undermined its competitiveness; stresses that achieving competitive energy prices in the long term requires a substantial increase in reliable and affordable energy supply, including through the diversification of energy sources and supply routes, the development of domestic energy production, and the full completion of the Energy Union;

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. Notes that, while technically skilled workers, or those willing to reskill, have most favourable employment prospects, this is due to a shortage of technical professionals, stemmed by low youth engagement in vocational training and an aging workforce; emphasizes that reintegrating the laid-off workers and ensuring equal access to high-quality training opportunities is key to a future proof European economy with a strong industrial base; underlines the importance of strengthening the Union’s industrial competitiveness in this context;

6. Notes the personalised coordinated package to be provided to displaced workers consists of the following measures: (a) task force (account managers with in-depth knowledge of the local labour market, along with consultants experienced in providing guidance during collective redundancy processes, organise and run the information sessions), (b) outplacement (in group or individual sessions include, among other things, an initial interview and individual guidance, certification of acquired skills, etc.), (c) assistance in finding a job, (d) reinforced job-search assistance (the support includes individual coaching and job-scouting, group coaching with a vocational mediator, assistance with job applications and interview preparation, and visits to hiring companies and to training centres, to encourage upskilling), (e) guidance, (f) training and retraining (Dutch language courses are also available, as many former Soliver employees have limited proficiency in Dutch, potentially limiting their employment options), (g) training at the workplace, and (h) job fair;

7. Regrets that the rise in bankruptcies over the past few years had a negative impact on the employment rate in some regions in Belgium, particularly in the region of Flanders; emphasizes that in Flanders the older workers who are made redundant face greater barriers to re-entering the labour market; calls on Belgian authorities to provide specific support tailored to help workers further develop necessary skills to find new quality-jobs, while taking measures to reduce bankruptcies and address social disparities leading to exclusion of workforce;

7. 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.

8. Recalls that, in agreement with experts and social partners, personalised services to be provided to the workers consist of the following measures: task force of experienced consultants and account managers, providing personalised advisory services; outplacement services providing individual guidance; assistance in finding a job; reinforced job-search assistance; training and re-training, including training at the workplace; participation at job fairs; emphasises the importance of fostering high-quality, future-oriented jobs that strengthen competitiveness and support digital transformation;

RESULT OF FINAL VOTE IN COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

9. 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 and social security systems financially sustainable, 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, while taking measures to reduce bankruptcies and address social disparities leading to exclusion from the workforce; underlines that reducing unnecessary regulatory and administrative burdens is essential to support industrial competitiveness, attract investment and preserve quality jobs in the Union;

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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;

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11. Calls on the Commission to ensure equal visibility of the instrument across Member States and to promote its added value by disseminating targeted information to national authorities, which should further relay such information to companies affected by redundancies, regional and local authorities, social partners, and the wider public;

ECR

12. Calls for thorough final evaluations together with social partners of the measures implemented, including clear and transparent information on how the funds were used, the reintegration of workers into the labour market, and whether the EGF objectives were achieved; highlights, in this context, the importance of regular monitoring of the measures financed by the EGF in order to assess their effectiveness;

Elena Donazzan, Chiara Gemma, Georgiana Teodorescu, Mariateresa Vivaldini

13. Notes that Belgium started providing both personalised services to the targeted beneficiaries and incurring administrative expenditure to implement the EGF on 11 June 2025 and that the period of eligibility for a financial contribution from the EGF will therefore be from that date until 24 months and until 31 months after the date of the entry into force of the financing decision, respectively;

ESN

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;

Petar Volgin

15. Reiterates that assistance from the EGF must not replace actions that are the responsibility of public authorities or companies under national law or collective agreements; recalls that the EGF is a limited, targeted and complementary mechanism;

NI

16. Approves the decision annexed to this resolution;

Branislav Ondruš, Jan-Peter Warnke

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;

PPE

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

Maravillas Abadía Jover, Magdalena Adamowicz, Pascal Arimont, Andrzej Buła, Niels Geuking, Martine Kemp, Miriam Lexmann, Eleonora Meleti, Dan-Ştefan Motreanu, Elena Nevado del Campo, Giusi Princi, Dennis Radtke, Liesbet Sommen, Romana Tomc

ANNEX: DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

PfE

on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers following an application from Belgium – EGF/2025/009 BE/Soliver

Mélanie Disdier, Julien Leonardelli, Margarita de la Pisa Carrión, Pál Szekeres, Séverine Werbrouck

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Renew

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Grégory Allione, Elisabetta Gualmini, Irena Joveva, Brigitte van den Berg

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, and in particular Article 15(1), first subparagraph, thereof,

S&D

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,

Gabriele Bischoff, Vilija Blinkevičiūtė, Estelle Ceulemans, Johan Danielsson, Klára Dobrev, Isilda Gomes,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Marit Maij, Idoia Mendia, Evelyn Regner, Raffaele Topo, Marianne Vind

Whereas:

The Left

(1) The European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers (EGF) aims to demonstrate solidarity and promote decent and sustainable employment in the Union by providing support for workers made redundant and self-employed persons whose activity has ceased in the case of major restructuring events and assisting them in returning to decent and sustainable employment as soon as possible.

Li Andersson, Konstantinos Arvanitis, Leila Chaibi, Kathleen Funchion

(2) The EGF is not to 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 amended by Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/765, and Article 16 of Regulation (EU) 2021/691.

Verts/ALE

(3) On 22 December 2025, Belgium submitted an application to mobilise the EGF in accordance with Article 8(1) of Regulation (EU) 2021/691, in respect of workers’ displacements in Soliver NV in Belgium. It was supplemented by additional information provided in accordance with Article 8(5) of Regulation (EU) 2021/691. That application is considered to comply with the conditions for providing a financial contribution from the EGF as laid down in Article 13 of Regulation (EU) 2021/691, on the basis of the assessment made by the Commission in the Proposal for a mobilisation decision of the European Parliament and of the Council.

Sara Matthieu, Maria Ohisalo, Villy Søvndal

(4) The EGF should, therefore, be mobilised in order to provide a financial contribution of EUR 2 132 535 in respect of the application submitted by Belgium.

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(5) In order to minimise the time taken to mobilise the EGF, this Decision should apply from the date of its adoption,

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HAVE ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

PfE

Article 1

Harald Vilimsky

For the general budget of the Union for the financial year 2026, the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers shall be mobilised to provide the amount of EUR 2 132 535 in commitment and payment appropriations.

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Article 2

0

This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. It shall apply from [the date of its adoption]*.

Done at Brussels,

For the European Parliament For the Council

The President The President