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
Renewables Essential for Reducing Fossil Fuel Dependence and Stabilizing Energy Prices, According to European Environment Agency
“Transitioning to a sustainable future by enhancing our circular economy, adopting renewables, and boost
Andy Burnham Advised to Collaborate with EU on Energy to Counter China
Additionally, it proposes to enhance regional independence on green energy.
Competing with China
The authors suggest that the U.K. fully rejoining the North Sea Energy Cooperation Group (NSEC) would facilitate energy investments like
Verdict Expected This Week in Yorgen Fenech’s Trial for Daphne Caruana Galizia’s Murder in Malta
VALLETTA, 31 August (Eurotoday Newspaper) – Madam Justice Edwina Grima has begun summing up the case for jurors in the trial of Maltese businessman Yorgen Fenech, accused of complicity in the 2017 car bomb assassination of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Following 52 days of testimony and closing arguments, the nine-member jury is set to deliberate on Fenech’s fate this week.
Th
Incompatibility Made "Compatible" by Deceptive Text of the Council of Europe’s Committee on Bioethics
EEA Chief Warns Climate Change May Render Parts of Europe Inadequate for Farming
“Certain crops will no longer thrive, particularly in the most arid areas of the Mediterranean and southern Europe,” Ylä-Mononen stated in an
Burnham Joins the Political Arena
The PM is set to make his debut in the Commons, pledging to “bring back hope” and enhance affordability in people’s lives. However, with public finances under strain, the question remains whether he can fulfill his promises to reduce energy bills,
Germany Declares No Return to Normalcy with Russia
Asheville, United States, 31 August (Eurotoday Newspaper) – German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil has said there can be no return to normal Germany Russia relations while Russia’s war against Ukraine continues, criticising the way Moscow’s finance minister was received at a G20 meeting in the United States.
Klingbeil made the remarks during a gathering of G20 finance ministers and central bank
Russia Launches Digital Ruble
Individuals can open digital ruble accounts via participating banks’ mobile apps, allowing monthly transfers of up to 300,000 rubles (approximately $3,500) from traditional bank accounts to digital rubles, while bus
Europe Prepares Its Response to China
Though the EU already has the well-known ‘trade bazooka’ available, the Commission is contemplating a new approach to tackle Chinese overcapacity and risky dependencies. Our colleague Camille Gijs spoke with EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič to find out m
Zelensky Schedules Ukraine Meeting with Trump Envoys to Discuss Peace Efforts
Kyiv, Ukraine, 31 August (Eurotoday Newspaper) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has discussed a planned Trump envoys Ukraine visit with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner as Washington continues diplomatic efforts aimed at ending Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Zelensky described his call with the two US representatives as “detailed and constructive” and said officials were working to finalis
Leave a Reply