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
EU: Hermes Study Centre Endorses Cyprus Compromise on Tobacco Excise Revision
Brussels, 7 May 2026 – Hermes – European Study Centre fully endorses the compromise text crafted by the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the European Union for revising Directive 2011/64/EU, known as the Tobacco Excise Directive (TED). Hermes sees this text as a solid foundation for a strategic ref
EU Prosecutors Launch Investigation into Bardella’s Media Training Sessions
Immigration Crackdown Pressure Impacts Federal Crime Investigations in Minneapolis 2026
Form 8.3 – DCC PLC
FORM 8.3
IRISH TAKEOVER PANEL
DISCLOSURE UNDER RULE 8.3 OF THE IRISH TAKEOVER PANEL ACT, 1997, TAKEOVER RULES, 2013
DEALINGS BY PERSONS WITH INTERESTS IN RELEVANT SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE
1. KEY INFORMATION
Name of person dealing (Note 1)
State Street Global Advisors & Affiliates
Company dealt in
DCC plc
Class of relevant security to whichthe dealings being disclosed relat
Hungary and EU Dispute Over Allocation of €10B Funding
Kinga Kollár, an MEP from Magyar’s Tisza party, expressed optimism about unlocking all the blocked funds.
The allocation include
Investment Markets Shaken by Interest Rate Concerns and Economic Slowdown New York 2026
Guidance for Ukrainian Parents in Denmark on the Danish Education System
Community Seminar in Copenhagen Focused on Integration, Education, and Support for Displaced Families Adapting to Life in Denmark
COPENHAGEN, DENMARK — Ukrainian parents residing in Denmark came together in Copenhagen for an educational seminar. The event aimed to help families gain a better understanding of the Danish school system, child development methods, and the social integration process
Tariff Refund System Enhancements Provide Surprising Relief to US Importers in Chicago 2026
The comments arrive as importers, manufacturers, and logistics firms continue adapting to changing c
EU Reaches Agreement to Ease AI Restrictions
EU countries backed Germany’s demand to avoid a dual regulatory burden for companies using industrial AI; they will now only need to comply with AI requirements under separate machinery rules.
N
Leave a Reply