Brussels, 07/03/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 7 March, the European Commission proposed to provide Austria with €3.9 million from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) to help 270 workers made redundant by Austria Tabak GmbH and by 14 suppliers and downstream producers get back into the labour market. A decision was also made to provide Italy with €3.6 million from the EGF to help former workers of information technology services company Agile S.r.l. to find new jobs. The proposal now goes to the European Parliament and the EU Council of Ministers for their approval.
Austria applied for support from the EGF for 320 former workers of Austria Tabak GmbH, a manufacturer of cigarette and tobacco products, and 14 suppliers and downstream producers. Among the redundant workers, 270 are expected to participate in the EGF co-financed measures. The package is designed to help the workers by offering them career advice, job search assistance, job mentoring, various types of training and qualification measures, including vocational training in higher technical and vocational schools (berufsbildende höhere Schulen), apprenticeships/internships in enterprises, practical on-the-job training, intensive support for workers aged over 50 as well as training and subsistence allowances during the training and active job search. The total estimated cost of the package is approximately €6 million, with the EGF providing €3.9 million.
Italy applied for support from the EGF for 1,257 workers made redundant by Agile S.r.l.. Of the redundant workers, 856 are expected to benefit from the EGF co-financed measures. The package is designed to help the workers by offering them career advice and skills assessment, outplacement and job-search assistance, vocational training and skills upgrades, postgraduate education, entrepreneurship promotion and contribution to business start-up, hiring benefits, mentoring after reintegration into work, job-search allowances and contributions towards special expenses, such as care of dependent persons, commuting expenses and expenses for moving residence to take up a new job. The total estimated cost of the package is approximately €5.6 million, of which the EGF will provide €3.6 million. (OL/transl.fl)