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
Turkish Court Prohibits Sale of New Book by Former Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu
The ruling, published on August 27, affects the book “The People Are My Witnesses” (“Millet Şahidimdir”), which presents Imamoglu’s defense in the ongoing trial against him and 414 others.
Imamoglu is accused
Modi Urges a Tense Putin to End the Ukraine War
GOP Appeals to Supreme Court for Lower Political Ad Rates in Washington
Washington, DC, 31 August (Eurotoday Newspaper) – Republican campaign committees have asked the US Supreme Court to restore access to cheaper political ad rates, escalating a legal dispute that could affect campaign spending ahead of the 3 November midterm elections.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) and National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) are seeking an emergenc
Dogmatic Debate with Donatism (6)
Blessed Augustine defends schismatic baptism by citing scriptural examples, such as Christ’s approval of a man casting out demons in His name without being a disciple, indicating that those outside the Church may still possess some of its treasures, including Sacraments. Augustine argues that schismatics who return to the Church do no
Poland Suspects Foreign Involvement in Arson Attack on Drone Plant
This incident occurs amid suspected attacks on critical infrastructure linked to European military support for Ukraine, with Western authoriti
Trump Promises Strong Reaction Following Iran’s Attack on US Bases
Dubai, UAE, 31 August, (Eurotoday Newspaper) – US President Donald Trump has promised a strong response to Iran after Tehran fired missiles towards American military positions in Jordan, escalating Trump Iran tensions in the first direct exchange of fire between the two sides in about a month.
The Iranian action came after US forces struck targets on Larak Island, near the Strait of Hormuz. US C
Contract Signed by EuroHPC JU for LUMI-AI Supercomputer Deployment
Germany’s Far Right Eyes Small Eastern State as Springboard to National Power
The AfD plans to c
André Remy Dies at 89 After Celebrated Belgian TV Career
Brussels, Belgium, 30 August (Eurotoday) – André Remy dies aged 89, bringing to an end a long career that made him a familiar figure in Belgian television, football broadcasting and political satire. RTBF announced his death on Sunday, identifying him as a former presenter and former sports director at Canal+ Belgium.
Remy became widely known through Feu vert, the youth television programme he p
Leave a Reply