Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The European Commission proposed €700,000 from the EGF to support 632 laid-off workers in Belgium with job transition services and skills development.
A proposal was made by the European Commission to support 632 workers in Belgium who were laid off by machines and paper enterprises Purmo and Sappi with €700,000 from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers (EGF).
What challenges do older workers face in job searches?
According to the EU Commission, in July 2024, Belgium applied for EGF funding to support workers in the Flemish province of Limburg who were excluded by Purmo (machinery) and Sappi (paper) to find further employment. Many of the redundancies concern lower-skilled workers aged 50 years and older, some of them with a migrant background, who typically confront more challenges in finding work in the Flemish labour market.
The regions affected by the redundancies, Lanaken and Zonhoven, are less successful than the other parts of the Limburg province and Flanders. In these parts, the job seeker-to-vacancy ratio is double the average ratio in Flanders, highlighting the urgent need for personalised support to help employees with a successful job transition.
How will €700,000 support laid-off workers in Belgium?
As reported by the EU Commission, the EGF funding will assist pay for counselling and vocational orientation, job search services, 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) covered by the EGF and the remaining 40% (€500,000) funded by the Flemish Employment and Vocational Training Service (VDAB).
Moreover, Of the 681 workers discharged by Sappi and Purmo, 632 are expected to benefit from the measures supported by the EGF. The remaining workers chose not to partake, either because they had already found new employment or because they were not interested in seeking a job transition.
