Brussels, 18/10/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 15 October, the European Commission approved an application from Germany for assistance of €8.3 million from the European Globalisation adjustment Fund (EGF). The application will now be sent to the European Parliament and EU Council of Ministers (together they form the EU's Budgetary Authority) for approval.
The application relates to 1,263 redundancies in Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG, an enterprise involved in the manufacturing of printing machinery. The redundancies have had a significant impact on regional employment in those towns most affected: in Heidelberg, Mannheim and Karlsruhe the unemployment rate increased respectively by 12.4 %, 12.3 % and 15.6 % between December 2008 and March 2010 - significantly higher than the increase of 3.7 % during the same period for Germany as a whole.
The package of EGF assistance for the former workers of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG will help 1,181 of the most disadvantaged workers back into employment by offering them: job search allowances, management of qualifications and training courses leading to new qualifications, counselling and support, workshops and peer groups, placement research and international guidance, in-depth guidance for business start-up and mobility allowances. (G.B./transl.rt)