The improvements and simplifications to the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) are welcome at a time when Europe needs to show solidarity with workers who have lost their jobs, but several challenges remain for the next financial period. This was the key message of Gerry Breen, Member of Dublin City Council and Dublin Regional Authority, during the presentation of his opinion in Brussels today. In particular, he called for a rapid intervention mechanism, simpler procedures and greater flexibility for the EGF. 

The central point for the rapporteur is his recommendation that support under the enterprise pillar of the EGF should benefit from higher rates of co-financing than the other pillars in order to encourage creation and entrepreneurship. "It is critical that at times when people are faced with unemployment they take time to be more entrepreneurial" he explained. "It is time the EU adopted a radical approach rather than just speaking about it We need smart measures!"

The opinion was adopted by the vast majority of ECOS members and will now go forward for discussion and adoption by the CoR Plenary Session on 3-4 May 2012.