Proposition 50K1984

Projet de loi relatif à la démission volontaire accompagnée d'un programme personnalisé de reconversion professionnelle au bénéfice de certains militaires et portant des dispositions sociales.

General information ¶

Authors

Ecolo Mirella Minne
Groen Peter Vanhoutte
MR Robert Denis, Josée Lejeune
Open Vld Jan Eeman, Stef Goris, Martial Lahaye
PS | SP José Canon, Jean-Pol Henry
Vooruit André Schellens

Submission date

July 20, 2002

Official page

Visit

Status

Adopted

Requirement

Simple

Subjects

armed forces

Contact form ¶

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Discussion ¶

Dec. 17, 2002 | Plenary session (Chamber of representatives)

Full source

Mr. Speaker, can the Minister explain to me how the Communities were consulted or not on the precise definition of competences in the field of vocational training? There are a number of articles that talk about the professional change processes. To assist those people in that context. So I would have liked to know if there has been a discussion on this at some point following the proposal of the colleagues?

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Minister, while we are living the reunification of the European contingent and we are finally turning a page in the history of Europe, it is sometimes difficult to recall the reasons that justified the presence of Belgian soldiers in Germany. Twelve years after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the German reunification, we hardly remember the strategic climate of the time, the mill-leaf arrangement of NATO troops on the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany and our commitment to solidarity with our ally.

This time has passed and the presence of Belgian troops in Germany is no longer justified. Our duty, as elected members of the Nation, is to ensure that their repatriation takes place in the best conditions. In reference to fifty years of participation in Germany’s security – and thus our own security – we must ensure that the Belgian military can return to Belgium in good conditions and that we can offer them another formula that meets their expectations.

This bill, supported by all majority parties, aims to facilitate this transfer by allowing Belgian military personnel to return to civilian life in Germany and thus preserve their family environment and local roots. This program of professional reconversion must therefore enable people, who have committed themselves to defending the integrity of our territory and the security of our allies, to be able to secure their future in the country of their choice.

It was thus our duty to thank and welcome the commitment of these men, that is why, Mr. President, Mr. Minister, my political group has supported this bill and will vote in favour of its adoption.

I would like to thank the speaker and Mr. Denis for the support he provides on behalf of his group to this important project, inasmuch as, as he specified, it aims to socially accompany military workers in Germany on the occasion of their return to our country. It is not easy for some of them and for some families after so many years spent in Germany. This return had to be accompanied by a social plan of accompanying and this bill is indeed a response to these concerns.

As regards training, I would like to answer Mr. Leterme and specify that these are formations dispensed within the armed forces. There was therefore no contact with the Communities and the Regions since these are, for example, driving courses given to wives of military personnel, to guarantee them some autonomy on the day their husband would return to Belgium. These are also computer learning courses but that are given in our own facilities with our own staff.

Do not list all courses given because the approval may be withdrawn from you.

I would like to thank the Minister for his response.

I noticed that in the memorandum of explanation by the applicants is referred to the fact that for the implementation of what we are called to approve, a appeal will be made to an agency specialized in outplacement of labor force on the German and Belgian labour market.

Mr. Minister, has the selection of the agency mentioned in the memorandum of explanation already occurred?

It is a market that meets all the characteristics of public procurement. I don’t know if the selection was made, but the market was launched.

Has the proposal been submitted without the approval of the law? Under what procedure, from what article and from reference to which budget article was this call for tender made?

The demand is more global than you say. It does not concern exclusively the military cantons in Germany. It also covers all the changes that are currently underway. The Department of Defence is in full restructuring. The return of Belgian forces from Germany is not the only element to be considered. I repeat that other movements are ongoing. They imply that some movements can be accompanied by "outplacement" formulas. But for now, we have not yet recourse to it.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister thus denies that in any way a company would be invoked – and I read what the applicants described in that connection – “that is specialized in the outplacement of people on the German and Belgian labour market”.

We will need specialized offices in "outplacement" for some cases.

Mr. Minister, that may then be a different agency than what will be selected in the framework of the procedure that has already been initiated.

But, for now, there is no “outplacement” in force according to this law.

Mr. Minister, you say that an offer request has already been launched for the recruitment of an outplacement agency, in the context of the general problem of the outflow in the army.

However, the explanatory memo stipulates that, very specifically for those returning from Germany or vice versa, a specialized outplacement agency should be addressed.

Should I deduce from your answer that this has not yet happened, or that it has happened, but that it is about another agency? What did you mean exactly?

There is still no "outplacement" organized as part of the return of Belgian forces from Germany.