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 3 821 460 under that Regulation, which represents 85 % of the total cost of EUR 4 495 836, comprising expenditure for personalised services of EUR 4 441 774 and expenditure for preparatory, management, information and publicity, control and reporting activities of EUR 54 062;

2.Notes that the Belgian authorities submitted the application on 25 March 2026, and that, following the receipt of additional information from Belgium, the Commission finalised its assessment on 16 July 2026 and notified it to Parliament on 24 August 2026; 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;

3.Notes that the application relates to 1 257 displaced workers who were made redundant by Cora and one supplier; notes further that 1 010 displaced workers, residing in Wallonia, will be targeted beneficiaries;

4.Takes note that Cora, hypermarket retailers, has struggled to adapt to changing consumer habits and intensifying competition, including from the rapid expansion of e-commerce and low-cost non-EU online retailers, with rising operating costs further exacerbating its financial difficulties; recalls the necessity of ensuring a level playing field between European retailers and third-country companies; stresses that these developments underline the importance of a strong and competitive European economy and a business-friendly environment that enables companies to adapt to structural change and remain competitive; notes the impact of subsequent redundancies on Wallonia, particularly Hainaut; highlights the need to strengthen European companies’ capacity to anticipate and adapt to market changes, while safeguarding quality and sustainable employment and workers’ rights, in order to safeguard competitiveness and prevent lay-offs where possible; advocates for at least part of the workers to be re-employed in the entities opened at the locations in the seven former Cora hypermarkets where 95 % of the retail space is now leased;

5.Notes that this case is affecting the Hainaut province, where the unemployment rate remains a concern; highlights the need to prevent structural regional decline and to create high-quality, future-oriented jobs in order to strengthen long-term economic and social resilience; stresses the need for policies that foster industrial competitiveness, social cohesion and regional development;

6.Emphasises that the Union needs a stable, predictable, innovation-friendly business environment that supports technological development and strengthens competitiveness; recalls that strong and competitive businesses are essential to sustain high-quality jobs, drive economic growth, promote territorial, economic and social cohesion, and reinforce Europe’s strategic resilience;

7.Takes note that eight in ten displaced workers have an educational attainment of upper secondary level or lower, with one in three being aged over 54, facing greater barriers to re-entering the labour market; calls on the Belgian and regional authorities to address social disparities and structural barriers preventing displaced workers from accessing quality employment, including age-related discrimination; emphasizes that targeted and tailored support facilitates their sustainable reintegration into the labour market; highlights that successful reintegration is instrumental to a resilient and competitive European economy; stresses the need to align training with labour-market needs as they evolve in order to facilitate rapid reintegration into quality employment;

8.Recalls that, in agreement with targeted beneficiaries, their representatives and social partners, whose meaningful involvement is essential to the quality and legitimacy of the reintegration process, personalised services to be provided to the displaced workers consist of the following measures: outplacement services providing vocational orientation, skills certification, training and re-training, support for business creation and contribution to start-up, incentives and allowances in order to prevent long-term unemployment including for older workers; stresses that trade union representatives should be involved throughout the entire implementation of the EGF measures, including the monitoring phase, to ensure the quality and relevance of the support offered to beneficiaries;

9.Stresses that the Belgian authorities shall ensure the visibility of the Union funding and highlight its added value by providing effective, clear and timely information to beneficiaries, regional and local authorities, social partners, and the wider public;

10.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; underlines the need to provide specific support tailored to the needs and profiles of workers with lower levels of education, while taking measures to reduce bankruptcies and address social disparities leading to exclusion from the workforce;

11.Underlines the need to further raise awareness of the EGF in some Member States and strengthen its visibility; calls on the Commission, in cooperation with the Member States and social partners, to strengthen outreach and technical assistance, with particular attention to national and regional authorities with no or limited experience in accessing EGF support;

12.Calls for thorough final evaluations of the measures implemented, including clear information on the use of funds, the success of the reintegration of workers into the labour market and its effectiveness, to ensure accountability, sound financial management and the effective use of Union funds; reiterates the need for appropriate monitoring and control of the use of EGF funding and whether the EGF objectives were achieved;

13.Notes that Belgium started providing personalised services to the targeted beneficiaries and incurring administrative expenditure to implement the EGF on 1 September 2025 and 9 April 2025, respectively, 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;

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;

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 and cannot replace structural economic and social policies that contribute to a sustainable economic growth, that promote a stable, predictable and innovation-friendly business environment, and that protect Union enterprises, economic operators and their workers;

16.Approves the decision annexed to this resolution;

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;

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