Statements by Commissioners Schmit and Gentiloni on the possibility of making SURE a permanent instrument

Subject: Statements by Commissioners Schmit and Gentiloni on the possibility of making SURE a permanent instrument

During the joint meeting of Parliament’s EMPL and ECON Committees on 28 June 2021, the Commissioner for Employment, Nicolas Schmit, said in response to a question: ‘We will definitely think about making SURE a permanent instrument.’

The Commissioner for Economy, Paolo Gentiloni, echoed his words, saying: ‘Discussions on the future of a mechanism like SURE are possible, focusing it perhaps more on training and reskilling workers rather than on the health crisis, precisely because it has worked: that is the basis on which there could be discussions about possibly proposing it again in the future.’

Commissioner Gentiloni added that: ‘SURE has, in a certain sense, been a keystone that has opened the way to the more general recovery plan, demonstrating that an operation of this kind was possible and helpful.’

The SURE fund was set up last April to provide temporary support to mitigate unemployment risks in an emergency. Monies from the fund have been disbursed to help EU countries bear some of the exceptional costs connected to funding social protection measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In light of the above, can the Commission answer the following:

1. How far advanced are the Commission’s discussions on SURE?

2. Will the eligibility conditions be the same?

3. Will the procedures for collecting and disbursing monies from the fund stay the same?

Answer given by Mr Gentiloni on behalf of the European Commission

(30 August 2021)

On 19 May 2020, the Council adopted the regulation setting up the new instrument for temporary Support to mitigate Unemployment Risks in an Emergency (SURE). SURE financial assistance can be used to fund short-time work schemes and similar measures put in place as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic to preserve employment and support incomes, including for the self- employed, and some health-related measures. The Commission has begun to take stock of the performance of SURE with the first bi- annual report published by the Commission on 22 March 2021 (1).

The Commission is now concentrating its efforts on the response to the current COVID-19 crisis, including through the completion of the implementation of SURE and, more structurally, through the deployment of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). Under SURE, there are still over EUR 5 billion available to help Member States. Under the RRF, non-repayable and loan support may be used by the Member States to finance forward-looking active labour market measures, such as training and upskilling, which would help to accompany workers and labour markets in this new phase, fostering the recovery and supporting the twin transitions to a greener and more digital economy.

⋅1∙ Report on the European instrument for temporary support to mitigate unemployment risks in an emergency

(SURE) following the COVID-19 outbreak pursuant to Article 14 of Council Regulation (EU) 2020/672. SURE: Taking Stock After Six Months. https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_1209.