Commissie stelt 3,6 miljoen uit globaliseringsfonds beschikbaar voor Oostenrijkse wegwerkers (en)

European Commission - Press release

Brussels, 22 September 2011 - The European Commission has proposed to provide Austria with €3.6 million from the European Globalisation adjustment Fund (EGF) to help 502 lorry drivers back into employment. Austria applied for the money to help lorry drivers made redundant by mainly small-sized transport companies in the regions of Niederösterreich and Oberösterreich. The Commission proposal now goes for approval to the European Parliament and the EU's Council of Ministers.

"The current crisis, has badly affected the road transport sector, " said EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion László Andor i. He stressed the importance of supporting the redundant lorry drivers in their efforts to find a new job as swiftly as possible: "The EGF will make the workers' transition to a new job easier and faster by helping them adapt their skills to the requirements of future jobs."

Austria applied for EGF money in relation to 2,338 redundancies in 706 road transport companies. The dismissals were a consequence of the financial and economic crisis, which resulted in a substantial decrease in goods production and subsequently in demand for freight transport. The Austrian road transport sector has suffered a significant downturn, with a fall in demand of between 30-50% in July 2009. For lorries above 3.5 tons, the traffic decreased in the first half of 2009 by 17% compared to the same period of the previous year. These downward trends continued in 2010.

The package of EGF assistance for the workers made redundant in the road transport sector will help the 502 most disadvantaged back into employment by offering them occupational orientation, active job search, various options of training, corporate internships, and the necessary allowances. The total estimated cost of the package is €5.6 million, of which the European Union has been asked to provide EGF assistance of € 3.6 million.

Background

The areas affected by the redundancies are the Land of Niederösterreich and the Land of Oberösterreich. Both provinces, which belong to Austria's industrial regions, registered in 2009 a sharp increase of unemployment compared to the previous year: +24.5% in Niederösterreich and +39.7% in Oberösterreich.

More than half (54.5 %) of the 2,338 redundancies took place in Niederösterreich (1,274 workers in 384 companies), a province which was already accepted for EGF support in June 2011 (IP/11/696).

There have been 78 applications to the EGF since the start of its operations in January 2007, for a total amount of about €357.6 million, helping nearly 76,000 workers. EGF applications are being presented in a growing number of sectors, and by an increasing number of Member States.

EGF applications relate to the following 25 sectors: automotive (Austria, Belgium, Germany, France, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, Spain); textiles (Belgium, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Spain); clothing (Malta, Lithuania, Slovenia, Spain); construction of buildings (Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Spain); specialised construction (Ireland); architectural and engineering (Ireland); machinery and equipment (Denmark, Germany, Poland); printing industry (Netherlands); electronic equipment (Austria, Netherlands, Portugal); retail trade (Czech Republic, Greece, Spain); mobile phones (Finland, Germany); basic metals (Austria, Bulgaria); domestic appliances (Italy, Lithuania); computers (Ireland); shipbuilding (Denmark); furniture (Lithuania); carpentry and joinery (Spain); ceramics (Spain and Italy); stone/marble (Spain); crystal glass (Ireland); shoe manufacture (Portugal); publishing (Netherlands); wholesale trade (Netherlands); aircraft maintenance (Ireland); road transport (Austria).

The EGF, an initiative first proposed by Commission President José Manuel Barroso to provide help for people who lose their jobs due to the impact of globalisation, was established by the European Parliament and the Council at the end of 2006. In June 2009, the EGF rules were revised to strengthen the role of the EGF as an early intervention instrument. It forms part of Europe's response to the financial and economic crisis. The revised EGF Regulation entered into force on 2 July 2009 and applies to all applications received from 1 May 2009 onwards.

Building on the experience acquired with EGF interventions since 2007 and its value added for the assisted workers and affected regions the Commission intends to propose to maintain the fund also for the next financial perspectives, while further improving its functioning.

Further information

EGF website

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