EU Commission to help workers in event of ‘no deal’ Brexit – Hogan
Statement by Phil Hogan, EU Commissioner for Agriculture & Rural Development
This morning (4 September 2019), the European Commission adopted the latest in a series of Brexit Preparedness Communications, in which we reiterated our call to all stakeholders to prepare for a no-deal scenario.
In order to help businesses that trade with the UK, we have published a detailed checklist on final preparations.
Today’s Communication contributes further to the Commission’s
extensive preparedness for a no-deal Brexit, which includes 46
legislative initiatives and legal acts (a further five were adopted
today), 100 Brexit preparedness notices (across the full spectrum of EU
activities) and 5 earlier Communications on Brexit preparedness (July
2018, November 2018, December 2018, April 2019 and June 2019).
In April this year, the Commission announced it was ready to
consider financial support to Member States to cushion the effects of a
‘no-deal’ Brexit, taking into account the available EU funding as well
as State aid rules, which could offer flexible and immediate support to
companies.
Reflecting that announcement, the Commission today proposed that
the European Solidarity Fund and the European Globalisation Adjustment
Fund are available to support businesses, workers and Member States most
affected by a no-deal Brexit.
The European Solidarity Fund may now cover the serious financial
burden that may be imposed on Member States, for example in the areas of
additional facilities and staff needed for customs, health and
phytosanitary measures and State aid measures to support businesses and
schemes to keep people in their jobs.
The scope of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund, which
has existed since 2007, will be amended to include workers made
redundant in areas, sectors, territories or labour markets suffering
serious economic disruption due to a no-deal Brexit. Today’s proposal is
intended as a statement of solidarity from the Commission that European
support is available to mitigate some of the negative effects of a
no-deal Brexit on workers and self-employed affected.
I welcome the restatement by the Commission today that the
backstop, provided for by the Withdrawal Agreement, is the only solution
identified that safeguards the Good Friday Agreement, ensures
compliance with international law obligations and preserves the
integrity of the internal market.
Finally, I welcome the prioritisation which the Irish government is
giving to preparation for a no-deal Brexit and I urge all businesses
which trade with the UK to heed the advice provided. The Irish
government can be assured that the European Commission will continue to
be available to provide any practical assistance that we can.
Further information
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_19_5509