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
Record Surge in Bacterial Meningitis Cases Prompt Urgent UK Vaccine Response London, UK 2026
LONDON, United Kingdom, June 12 – Eurotoday Newspaper — Bacterial meningitis cases have prompted UK health authorities to launch an emergency vaccination initiative following one of the largest recent outbreaks linked to meningococcal group B disease. The move comes as public health officials work to limit further infections and protect vulnerable populations from a disease that can become life-
Top Medicines Facing Shortages in Europe
Trumps Iran-Krieg – und die Zinsfalle
Observer Status Granted to Oneida and Mohawk Clans in the Federation of Aboriginal Nations of the Americas (FANA)
Open House Begins for the Belo Horizonte Brazil Temple
During the open house, residents and visitors in Minas Gerais will have the opportunity to see the temple’
Kallas Supports EU’s Foreign Service Amidst French Paper’s Survival Doubts
An EU diplomat stated that the paper was an internal document not approved by the French foreign mi
EU conducts cyber exercise
Some 5,000 experts have taken part in an EU-wide cyber exercise to test how Europe would respond to attacks on critical transport infrastructure.
Cyber Europe 2026 this week – 10/11 June – was also the first EU-wide test of the 2025 EU cyber blueprint which clarifies roles and responsibilities in a crisis.
Organised by the EU Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA), the exercise simulated a cyber atta
Romania’s Government Talks Stumble as Constitutional Clock Ticks Down
Tomac faces a challenging task in forming a government before the June 14 deadline. Romanian med
Major Brussels Arts Venue Unveils New Season
In 2026-2027, Flagey makes the First Viennese School the main thread of a season driven by what it calls “a clear philosophy”: listening to the music of the past can help us better understand the present.
With the 200th anniversary of Ludwig van Beethoven’s death approaching, artists such as Bori
Leave a Reply