Brussels, 23/08/2011 (Agence Europe) - The slow economic growth over the past few years has seen more frequent recourse by the member states to the European Globalisation Fund (EGF), which helped 60% more unemployed workers in 2010 than in 2009, according to the Annual EGF Report unveiled by the European Commission on Monday 22 August. In 2010, the EGF paid out €83.5 million to nine member states (Germany, Denmark, Spain, Ireland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal and Slovenia) to help some 23,700 workers who had lost their jobs. The EGF was set up in 2007 on the initiative of the Council of the EU and the European Parliament to “deal with some of the adverse short-term effects that globalisation may have, particularly on the employment of the most vulnerable and lowest skilled workers”, explains the report. Portugal recently applied to the EGF for €1.44 million to help nearly 680 workers laid off from the footwear industry in a region already suffering from high unemployment.
The increase in EGF funding started in 2009, but 2010 hit a high point, with a 300% increase in the number of decisions by the EU's budget authorities (the EP and the Council of the EU) to authorise aid. The report points out that the number of member states requesting aid is increasing (EGF aid is co-funded by the government of the country in question to the tune of 35%) and a wider range of industries are now catered for. Of the 16 industries quoted in the report (seven more than in 2009), top of the league table are the car industry, textiles and construction. Ireland and Spain have received the most EGF aid. The measures co-funded by the EGF include intensive, personalised job-search assistance, various types of vocational training, temporary incentives and allowances for the duration of the active measures, explains the Commission. The EGF has the role of providing speedy, made-to-measure solutions, unlike the European Social Fund, which deals with longer-term strategies. EU Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Commissioner László Andor, commented: “The EGF reflects the need to focus on the challenges of this decade, while preserving strong investment in areas like training, innovation and European infrastructure.” He added that it is a fine example of European Union solidarity in the face of the problems of this decade, ensuring high levels of investment in areas like innovation, training and European infrastructure. (J.K./transl.fl)