Brussels (Eurotoday) – EU Parliament approved aid worth €700,000 to help 632 dismissed workers in Belgium.
The European Parliament Committee on Budgets endorsed Belgium’s request for €704,135 in EU support through the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers (EGF). The aid will help 632 former workers from machinery and paper companies Purmo and Sappi in the Flemish region of Limburg.
As reported by EU Parliament Press, MEPs stated that the profiles of the displaced employees, one-third of which are aged 55 years or more and 30 % with low education, translate into extreme barriers in the labour market.
What caused the layoffs at the Sappi and Purmo plants?
Both Sappi Lanaken and Purmo Group had to expel employees due to dropping demand for their products and economic difficulties. Sappi Lanaken shut its plant because digitalization decreased the need for woodfree coated paper and shifting production was too expensive, while Purmo Group’s Zonhoven plant stopped production due to a 60% reduction in panel radiator demand, higher operational expenses, and unfavorable market conditions affected by the war in Ukraine and EU ruling favoring alternative heating systems.
How will the €700,000 EU aid help displaced workers?
According to the EU Parliament, the EGF funding will assist in paying for counseling and vocational orientation, job search allowances, as well as skills activity in vocational, digital, and language skills. The total calculated cost of these actions is €1.2 million, with 60% (€700,000) spent by the EGF and the remaining 40% (€500,000) funded by the Flemish Employment and Vocational Training Service (VDAB).
What role does the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund play?
Moreover, under the EGF regulation 2021-2027, the Fund helps displaced employees and self-employed people who have lost their activity due to unexpected significant restructuring events. Since 2007, the EGF has assigned €696 million in 180 cases, providing support to more than 169,000 people in 20 Member States. EGF-supported efforts complement national active labour market measures.
Comments
5 responses to “EU Parliament Approves €700,000 Aid Package for Displaced Workers in Belgium”
-
Ah, €700,000 for 632 displaced workers in Belgium—because nothing says “we care” quite like tossing a few coins into a fountain while the real heavy lifting of job creation clearly remains a job for the next EU committee meeting, right?
-
Ah, the EU Parliament has graciously approved a whopping €700,000 to help 632 Belgian workers displaced by the whims of digitalization and market trends—because who needs a stable career when you’ve got a charmingly bureaucratic safety net to fall back on, right?
-
Ah, nothing like a €700,000 aid package for 632 displaced workers in Belgium to remind us that in the EU, even the crumbs of compassion come with a side of bureaucratic theatrics—because what’s more reassuring than an EU safety net that’s frayed at the edges and still costs more than your average Belgian waffle?
-
Ah, €700,000 to help 632 workers find new careers in Belgium—because nothing says “let them eat cake” quite like a bureaucratic band-aid on a digital age bullet wound!
-
Ah, the EU Parliament’s generous €700,000 gift to help 632 displaced workers in Belgium—because nothing says “compassionate governance” like a financial band-aid for a gaping wound in the job market, eh?
Last News
The Farage-Lowe Drama Engulfing the British Right
A similar trend was observed at last week’s Greate
25 New Sites Added to UNESCO World Heritage List
Can Europe Manage the Ceuta Consequences?
The recent sudden influx of migrants into the Spanish exclave — most of whom have since returned — led to intense discussions among European leaders. In the show, hosts Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart discuss whether today’s emergency meeting can ease tensions and what measures the Comm
EU Socialists and Democrats Assert Propaganda Can’t Undermine Solidarity
Why Commemorating the Roma Holocaust Alone "Is Not Enough"
Some 82 years after the mass murder of Roma and Sinti at Auschwitz-Birkenau, anti-Roma hate persists. Today’s Roma Holocaust Memorial Day is a warning that Europe is still failing to turn the lessons of history into political reality.
This September, Saxony-Anhalt goes to the polls, with the Alternative for Germany (AfD) polling above 40 per cent and within reach of an outright majority. Over 80
Andy Burnham’s 6 Most Shameless Manchester Promos
He danced in a dad-style to New Order’s “True Faith” upon becoming Labour leader and featured a TikTok blind ranking of five bands, with four hailing from Manchester.
Naturally, his official Spotify selection during the Makerfield by-election was filled with tracks by
Dublin Event on World Humanitarian Day to Focus on Practical Helping Skills
KINGNEWSWIRE // PRESS RELEASE
Church of Scientology & Community Centre of Dublin to highlight humanitarian principles through community service
DUBLIN, Ireland, 3 August 2026 — On Saturday, 29 August 2026, a World Humanitarian Day event focusing on practical community service methods will be held at the Church of Scientology & Community Centre of Dublin.
The three-hour event from 2 p.m
Some MEPs Urge EU Parliament to Reconvene for Ceuta Crisis Discussion
Some MEPs have formally requested that the European Parliament be convened on an “exceptional basis” for an urgent debate on the migration crisis in Ceuta.
This, they say, should be with the participation of the Council and the European Commission.
The parliament is currently in recess for the summer and reconvening would be an exceptional step.
The extraordinary surge of arrivals has left at le
EU Ministers Support Spain Amid Ceuta Crisis, Elevating Migration on Agenda
“Everyone is very willing and eager to help, acknowledging this has been very difficult f
Leave a Reply