EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Brussels, 30.4.2026
COM(2026) 50 final
2026/0097(BUD)
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
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL
1.The rules applicable to financial contributions from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers (EGF) are laid down in 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 1 .
2.On 22 December 2025, Belgium submitted an application EGF/2025/009 BE/Soliver for a financial contribution from the EGF, following displacements in Soliver NV (Soliver) in Belgium.
3.Following its assessment of this application, the Commission has concluded, in accordance with all applicable provisions of Regulation (EU) 2021/691, that the conditions for awarding a financial contribution from the EGF are met.
SUMMARY OF THE APPLICATION
|
EGF application |
EGF/2025/009 BE/Soliver |
|
Member State |
Belgium |
|
Region(s) concerned (NUTS 2 level 2) |
Provincie Oost-Vlaanderen (BE23) and Provincie West-Vlaanderen (BE25) |
|
Date of submission of the application |
22 December 2025 |
|
Date of acknowledgement of receipt of the application |
17 February 2026 |
|
Date of request for additional information |
17 February 2026 |
|
Deadline for provision of the additional information |
10 March 2026 |
|
Deadline for the completion of the assessment |
28 May 2026 |
|
Intervention criterion |
Article 4(2), point (a), of Regulation (EU) 2021/691 |
|
|
Soliver NV |
|
Sector(s) of economic activity (NACE Revision 2 division) 3 |
Division 46 (Wholesale trade) |
|
Reference period (four months): |
1 July 2025 – 1 November 2025 |
|
Number of displacements during the reference period |
803 |
|
Total number of eligible beneficiaries |
803 |
|
Total number of targeted beneficiaries |
803 |
|
Budget for personalised services (EUR) |
2 412 465 |
|
Budget for implementing EGF 4 (EUR) |
96 400 |
|
Total budget (EUR) |
2 508 865 |
|
EGF contribution (85 %) (EUR) |
2 132 535 |
ASSESSMENT OF THE APPLICATION
Procedure
4.Belgium submitted application EGF/2025/009 BE/Soliver within 12 weeks of the date on which the intervention criteria set out in Article 4 (2), point (a), of Regulation (EU) 2021/691 were met, on 22 December 2025. The Commission was in possession of the translation of the application on 3 February 2026. The Commission acknowledged receipt of the application and requested additional information from Belgium on 17 February 2026. Such additional information was provided within 15 working days of the request. The deadline of 50 working days from the receipt of the complete application within which the Commission should finalise its assessment of the application's compliance with the conditions for providing a financial contribution expires on 28 May 2026.
Eligibility of the application
Enterprises and beneficiaries concerned
5.The application relates to 803 workers whose activity has ceased in Soliver. The enterprise operated in the economic sector classified under the NACE Revision 2 division 46 (Wholesale trade). The jobs displaced by Soliver are located in the NUTS 2 regions of Provincie Oost-Vlaanderen (BE23) and Provincie West-Vlaanderen (BE25).
Intervention criteria
6.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 an enterprise in a Member State, including workers displaced in suppliers and downstream producers and / or self-employed persons whose activity has ceased.
7.The reference period of four months for the application runs from 1 July 2025 to 1 November 2025.
8.There were 803 job displacements in Soliver during the reference period.
Calculation of displacements and of cessation of activity
9.Pursuant to Article 6, first paragraph, point (a), in conjunction with Article 5, first paragraph of Regulation (EU) 2021/691, all 803 job displacements during the reference period have been calculated from the date of the de facto termination of the contract of employment or its expiry.
Eligible beneficiaries
10.The total number of eligible beneficiaries is 803.
Description of the events that led to the displacements and cessation of activity
11.The event giving rise to these displacements was the declaration of Soliver's bankruptcy by the Ghent Commercial Court on 1 July 2025.
12.Originally a Belgian family business producing glass products (e.g. construction and automotive glass), Soliver was acquired in 2018 by American Glass Products Holding (AGP), shifting its focus exclusively to high-tech automotive glass.
13.After the acquisition, Soliver expanded with two new sites in East Flanders (Zwijnaarde and Evergem), alongside its original Rumbeke (West Flanders) plant. Zwijnaarde specialised in sunroofs for electric cars and panoramic roofs for Ferrari, while Evergem aimed to boost production capacity. However, Zwijnaarde struggled due to delayed car model production, forcing the closure of two lines and reducing profitability. Evergem proved unprofitable because of overcapacity and a downturn in the automotive sector. Unable to resolve its financial troubles, Soliver filed for bankruptcy in December 2024.
Expected impact of the displacements as regards the local, regional or national economy and employment
14.In 2025, 11 665 enterprises were declared bankrupt in Belgium 5 , an increase of 5,0% compared to 2024 and of 13,6% compared to 2023 6 . Most of them (57,8%) concerned enterprises located in Flanders. As a result of these bankruptcies, 28 945 jobs were lost, 52,8% of which were in Flanders 7 .
15.The territories most affected by Soliver's bankruptcy are the municipalities of Roeselare (West Flanders) and Ghent (East Flanders). 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). 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.
16.In 2025, the number of vacancies fell by 14% in Roeselare and 7% in Ghent 8 compounding the cooling labour market. Soliver’s redundancies will worsen local employment. However, technically skilled workers—or those willing to reskill—are likely to find opportunities due to shortage of technical professionals, stemmed by low youth engagement in vocational training and an ageing workforce.
Application of the EU Quality Framework for anticipation of change and restructuring (QFR)
17.Belgium has described how the recommendations set out in the EU Quality Framework for anticipation of change and restructuring have been considered.
18.Belgium has reported that national labour law 9 on the active management of restructuring requires enterprises undergoing restructuring to set up an employment unit, whose purpose is to provide workers laid off in the context of collective redundancies with 30 hours of outplacement services in a period of three months (60 hours in six months for workers aged 45+). However, this legal obligation does not apply in the event of bankruptcy. Therefore, the outplacement measure described below in paragraph 24 replaces the counselling and outplacement services that these displaced workers do not receive.
19.Regarding the activities undertaken to assist the displaced workers, Belgium has reported that the first job-search event (‘job fair’) described below took place in Roeselare, still during the bankruptcy proceedings, on 11 June 2025. A second job-fair was held in Ghent on 25 September 2025. Information and registration sessions, and outplacement services to support former Soliver workers were launched on 11 July 2025, short after the bankruptcy declaration.
Complementarity with actions funded by national or Union funds
20.Belgium has confirmed that the measures described below, receiving a financial contribution from the EGF, will not also receive financial contributions from other Union financial instruments.
21.The coordinated package of personalised services complements actions funded by other national or EU funds.
Procedures for consulting the targeted beneficiaries or their representatives or the social partners as well as local and regional authorities
22.Belgium has indicated that the co-ordinated package of personalised services has been drawn up in consultation with experts, including some members of the taskforce, and the social partners, in compliance with Article 7(4) of Regulation (EU) 2021/691. The final package of measures was agreed with the General Confederation of Liberal Trade Unions of Belgium (ACLVB) 10 , the General Labour Federation of Belgium (ABVV) 11 , and the Confederation of Christian Trade Unions (ACV) 12 in the first steering committee meeting held on 21 October 2025.
Targeted beneficiaries and proposed measures
Targeted beneficiaries
23.All 803 displaced workers are expected to participate in the measures. Pursuant to Article 8(7), point (f), of Regulation (EU) 2021/691, the provided breakdown of these workers by gender, age group, and educational level is as follows:
|
Category |
Number of
|
||
|
Gender: |
Men: |
616 |
(76,7 %) |
|
Women: |
187 |
(23,3 %) |
|
|
Non-binary |
0 |
(0,0 %) |
|
|
Age group: |
Below 30 years: |
145 |
(18,1 %) |
|
30-54 years: |
585 |
(72,9 %) |
|
|
Over 54 years: |
73 |
(9,1 %) |
|
|
Educational level |
Lower secondary education or less 13 |
298 |
(37,1 %) |
|
191 |
(23,8 %) |
||
|
Tertiary education 16 |
314 |
(39,1 %) |
|
Proposed measures
24.Pursuant to Article 8(7), point (h) of Regulation (EU) 2021/691, the personalised coordinated package to be provided to displaced workers consists of the following measures:
–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. Working closely with the workers, they define personalised paths for reintegration into employment and readjust them where necessary. The task force is supported by a team of experts in European projects.
–Outplacement: Outplacement services provided in group or individual sessions include, among other things, an initial interview and individual guidance, certification of acquired skills, guidance on using "My Career" (Mijn Loopbaan) a digital platform for job searching provided by the Flemish public employment services (VDAB 17 ), as well as guidance before, during, and after the job fair described below. Within this measure a 'job vacancy action' was organised on 3 December 2025. During a job vacancy action job offers are presented/made available to small groups of workers to apply for. Workers are helped by experts during the application process and VDAB monitors the progress of such applications and their outcome.
–Assistance in finding a job: The assistance begins by evaluating jobseekers’ suitability for current labour market demands and the realism of their job search. It then provides tailored assistance, including CV and cover letter refinement, confidence-building, and interview preparation. Digital skills are evaluated, with basic ICT training offered to digitally illiterate workers who also gain access to ‘digibanks’, where they can borrow laptops, receive training, and get digital support. Meanwhile, webinars and online tools such as 123digit.be help those with existing skills to further develop their digital competencies.
–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.
Additionally, information sessions on cross-border work opportunities in the Netherlands will be organised with EURES experts from the Dutch employment services.
–Guidance: The guidance services offer career advice, job-openings search, and job placement (matching candidates' skills and goals with employers' needs), individual job search assistance, and mental support. Topics covered during the outplacement sessions are reviewed, as needed. Delivered via a voucher system to give workers flexibility, VDAB counsellors tailor support intensity (ranging from standard to highly intensive) based on individual assessments.
–Training and retraining: Workers receive tailored coaching through specialised learning paths to enhance technical, digital, and in-demand skills (including those linked to labour shortages and the green transition). After agreeing on individual plans with a vocational counsellor, they access targeted training—either through VDAB or external providers—to address identified needs.
Dutch language courses are also available, as many former Soliver employees have limited proficiency in Dutch, potentially limiting their employment options.
–Training at the workplace: Workers receive on-the-job training with their future employer, securing a permanent or fixed-term contract lasting at least as long as the training.
–Job fair: This recruitment event helps put together jobseekers and hiring employers. Before attending the event, counselling sessions help to prepare the meeting with potential employers.
25.The workers’ digital skills assessment, the ICT training and additional support foreseen within the job finding assistance cater for the dissemination of the skills required in the digital industrial age and in a resource-efficient economy, as required by Article 7(2) of Regulation (EU) 2021/691.
26.The proposed actions, here described, constitute active labour market policy measures within the eligible actions set out in Article 7 of Regulation (EU) 2021/691. These actions do not substitute passive social protection measures.
27.Belgium has provided the required information on measures that are mandatory for the enterprise concerned by virtue of national law or pursuant to collective agreements. In accordance with Article 9(1) of Regulation (EU) 2021/691, Belgium has confirmed that a financial contribution from the EGF will not replace such measures.
Estimated budget
28.The estimated total costs are 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.
29.The total financial contribution requested from the EGF is EUR 2 132 535 (85 % of total costs).
30.Pursuant to Article 8(7), point (m), of Regulation (EU) 2021/691, Belgium has specified that the national pre-financing and co-funding is provided by VDAB.
|
Measures |
Estimated number of participants |
Estimated cost per participant
|
Estimated total costs (EUR) 19 |
|
Personalised services (measures under Article 7(2), second subparagraph, point (a), of Regulation (EU) 2021/691) |
|||
|
Task force |
803 |
148 |
118 642 |
|
Outplacement
|
473 |
1 986 |
939 273 |
|
Assistance in finding a job
|
275 |
1 660 |
456 529 |
|
Reinforced job-search assistance
|
250 |
1 217 |
304 352 |
|
Guidance
|
25 |
2 860 |
71 511 |
|
Training and retraining
|
105 |
4 827 |
506 808 |
|
Training at the workplace
|
10 |
960 |
9 600 |
|
Job fair
|
288 |
20 |
5 750 |
|
Sub-total (a): Percentage of the package of personalised services |
– |
2 412 465 |
|
|
(96,16 %) |
|||
|
Activities under Article 7(5) of Regulation (EU) 2021/691 |
|||
|
1. Preparatory activities |
– |
2 500 |
|
|
2. Management |
– |
40 000 |
|
|
3. Information and publicity |
– |
3 900 |
|
|
4. Control and reporting |
– |
50 000 |
|
|
Sub-total (b): Percentage of the total costs : |
– |
96 400 |
|
|
(3,84 %) |
|||
|
Total costs (a + b): |
– |
2 508 865 |
|
|
EGF contribution (85 % of total costs) |
– |
2 132 535 |
|
Period of eligibility of expenditure
31.Belgium started providing the personalised services to the targeted beneficiaries on 11 June 2025. The expenditure on the measures will therefore be eligible for a financial contribution from the EGF from 11 June 2025 until 24 months after the date of the entry into force of the Financing Decision.
32.Belgium started incurring the administrative expenditure to implement the EGF on 11 June 2025. The expenditure for preparatory, management, information and publicity, control and reporting activities shall therefore be eligible for a financial contribution from the EGF from 11 June 2025 until 31 months after the date of the entry into force of the Financing Decision.
Management and control systems
33.The application contains a description of the management and control system required under Article 23 of Regulation (EU) 2021/691, which specifies the responsibilities of the bodies involved. Belgium has notified the Commission that the financial contribution will be managed by VDAB. The payments will be made by VDAB’s financial service. The Department of Finance and Budget - Audit Unit of the Flemish Audit Authority for the European Structural Funds will act as audit authority.
Commitments provided by the Member State concerned
34.Belgium has provided all necessary assurances regarding the following:
–the principles of equality of treatment and non-discrimination will be respected in access to the proposed measures and their implementation,
–the requirements laid down in national and EU legislation concerning collective redundancies have been complied with,
–any double financing will be prevented,
–the financial contribution from the EGF will comply with the procedural and material Union rules on State aid.
BUDGETARY IMPLICATION
Budgetary proposal
35.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 20 amended by Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/765 of 29 February 2024 21 .
36.Having examined the application in respect of the conditions set out in Article 13(1) and (2) of Regulation (EU) 2021/691, and having taken into account the number of targeted beneficiaries, the proposed measures and the estimated costs, the Commission proposes to mobilise the EGF for the amount of EUR 2 132 535, representing 85 % of the total costs of the proposed measures, in order to provide a financial contribution for the application.
37.The proposed decision to mobilise the EGF will be taken jointly by the European Parliament and the Council pursuant to Article 15(1), first subparagraph, second sentence, of Regulation (EU) 2021/691 and, as laid down in point 9 of 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 22 .
Related acts
38.At the same time as it presents this proposal for a decision to mobilise the EGF, the Commission will present to the European Parliament and to the Council a proposal to transfer to the relevant budgetary line the amount of EUR 2 132 535.
39.At the same time as it adopted this proposal for a decision to mobilise the EGF, the Commission adopted a decision on a financial contribution that constitutes a financing decision within the meaning of Article 110 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 23 . That financing decision will enter into force on the date on which the Commission is notified of the approval of the budgetary transfer by the European Parliament and the Council pursuant to Article 15(2), first subparagraph, of Regulation (EU) 2021/691.
2026/0097 (BUD)
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
THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
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 24 , and in particular Article 15(1), first subparagraph, thereof,
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 25 , and in particular point 9 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,
Whereas:
(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.
(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 26 amended by Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/765 27 , and Article 16 of Regulation (EU) 2021/691.
(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 28 .
(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.
(5)In order to minimise the time taken to mobilise the EGF, this Decision should apply from the date of its adoption,
HAVE ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
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.
Article 2
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] 29* .
Done at Brussels,
For the European Parliament For the Council
The President
The President