Intervention criteria
Article 4
1. Member States may apply for financial contributions from the EGF for measures targeting displaced workers and self-employed persons in accordance with the provisions laid down in this Article. 2. In the case of major restructuring events, a financial contribution from the EGF shall be provided where one of the following circumstances applies: (a) the cessation of activity of at least 200 displaced workers or self-employed persons, over a reference period of four months, in an enterprise in a Member State, including where that cessation of activity applies to its suppliers or downstream producers; (b) the cessation of activity of at least 200 displaced workers or self-employed persons, over a reference period of six months, particularly in SMEs, where all operate in the same economic sector defined at NACE Revision 2 division level and are located in one region or two contiguous regions defined at NUTS 2 level or in more than two contiguous regions defined at NUTS 2 level provided that there are at least 200 workers or self-employed persons affected in two of the regions combined; (c) the cessation of activity of at least 200 displaced workers or self-employed persons, over a reference period of four months, particularly in SMEs, where all operate in the same or different economic sectors defined at NACE Revision 2 division level and located in the same region defined at NUTS 2 level. 3. In small labour markets, in particular with regard to applications involving SMEs, where duly substantiated by the applicant Member State, an application for a financial contribution under this Article shall be considered to be admissible even if the criteria laid down in paragraph 2 are not entirely met, provided that the redundancies have a serious impact on employment and the local, regional or national economy. In such cases, the applicant Member State shall specify which of the intervention criteria set out in paragraph 2 are not entirely met. 4. In exceptional circumstances, paragraph 3 shall also apply to labour markets other than small labour markets. The aggregated amount of financial contributions in such cases shall not exceed 15 % of the annual ceiling of the EGF. 5. The EGF shall not be mobilised where public-sector employees are dismissed as a result of budgetary cuts by a Member State.