Mr. Vincent Landers:

Consider the circumstances that will obtain once the MFF is negotiated and funding is made available for a continuation of the European Globalisation Fund, EGF, over the period 2014 to 2020. There is now sectoral proposal for the EGF to replace the current regulation being discussed by the Council. Subject to the agreement next week in the MFF context, we will lead the negotiations during our Presidency. We will try to improve, to the greatest extent possible, the application and usefulness of the EGF, including through learning lessons from previous use. We will try to find ways in which to address concerns expressed by workers, social partners and certain member states regarding the difficulties they have had in accessing the fund and the reasons they did not do so.