De Begrotingscommissie keurt steun EFG aan Ierse, Oostenrijkse en Griekse arbeiders goed (en)

Met dank overgenomen van Europees Parlement (EP) i, gepubliceerd op maandag 7 november 2011, 16:34.

The Budgets Committee on Monday approved aid totalling €42.3 million from the EU Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) to support workers who have lost their jobs in Ireland, Austria and Greece.

Ireland

Ireland had filed three applications concerning almost 6000 people who were laid off from almost 3000 companies active in construction, architecture, engineering and technical testing. The EGF will provide €35.7 million to help the Irish workers find their way back into the labour market.

As a small export-oriented economy, Ireland suffered from the credit crunch's impact on its major trading partners. Banks were severely hit, with knock-on effects on mortgage loans and building activity in the country. The construction sector, which had accounted for 12.25 % of the Irish workforce in 2007, employed only 6.25 % in 2010.

Austria

Austria had requested EGF support to respond to redundancies in 706 enterprises. Altogether 2338 employees lost their jobs in the sectors of land transport and pipelines.  502 of them, all from the Lower Austria and Upper Austria regions, will receive EGF support totalling €3.6 million.

Greece

MEPs gave a green light to Greece's application concerning 642 workers made redundant by the closure of ALDI supermarkets particularly in Central Macedonia and Attica, but also in other regions, such as Eastern Macedonia-Thrace, Western Macedonia, Epirus, Western Greece, Mainland Greece and Peloponnese. The total amount made available is €2.9 million.

About the EU Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF)

EGF aid helps find new jobs for workers made redundant due to major structural changes in world trade patterns caused by globalisation or the financial crisis. Its annual ceiling is €500 million.