EU support for jobless in Germany, France, Spain, Netherlands, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark
On Tuesday the European Parliament approved EU Globalisation Adjustment Fund aid for almost 8,000 people in Ireland, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, Spain, Germany and Denmark, who lost their jobs in recent years due to the global crisis.
The European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) was established to provide additional support for workers fired from their jobs as a result of major structural changes in world trade patterns and to help them get back into the labour market. The annual ceiling of the fund is €500 million.
The people who lost their jobs will be offered employment measures such as support for business start-ups, job-search assistance, occupational guidance and various kinds of training. In most cases, national authorities have already started the measures and will get their costs reimbursed from the EU when their applications are finally approved.
Ireland
In 2011, the broadband service firm Talk Talk cut the number of its service centres from 24 to 13, retaining only those in India, the Philippines and South Africa, and some specialist activities in the UK. The entire Waterford operation was closed. 432 of the 592 workers made redundant in Waterford will receive €2.7 million from the EGF. The money will cover measures including training programmes, higher education courses and enterprise/self-employment support.
France
2,089 people lost their jobs at PSA Peugeot Citroën in different parts of France as a result of a sharp drop in sales. The total estimated cost of the package is €18.4 million, of which the EGF will provide €11.9 million.
Netherlands
The Dutch authorities applied for EGF support in two cases. One concerns the construction sector in Gelderland. 435 people who lost their jobs in 54 small and medium sized enterprises are targeted for assistance worth €4.46 million, to which the EGF will contribute €2.90 million. The other Dutch application relates to 616 redundant workers from Zalco Aluminium Zeeland Company NV, which went bankrupt in 2011, and two of its suppliers. The total estimated cost of this package is €2.30 million, of which the EGF will provide €1.50 million.
Sweden
In 2011, the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca closed two R&D sites and reduced its staff on two other sites. 700 redundant workers are targeted for support worth €6.66 million, of which the EGF will provide €4.33 million.
Spain
In 2011, 878 workers in the shipbuilding industry in the region of Galicia lost their jobs. Employment measures will be provided for 450 of these workers. The total budget is €3.12 million, of which the EGF will contribute €2.03 million.
Germany
MEPs approved EGF funding of €5,352.944 for 2,013 employees made redundant by the German printing machinery firm Manroland AG, two of its subsidiaries and one of its suppliers as a result of growing international competition and changing technology.
Denmark
The budgets committee approved EGF aid worth €7,488.000 for 720 workers who lost their jobs at the wind turbine manufacturer, Vestas Group, in Denmark. The Danish authorities argue that this industry in the EU has been seriously affected by changes in world trade patterns and a severe drop in EU market share. This is the 13th application from Denmark this year.
Source: European Parliament
- 314 reads
