08/09/2016 (Agence Europe) – The European Commission announced on Thursday 8 September that it was setting up a task force to help address the consequences of the planned closure by American group Caterpillar of its plant in Gosselies, Belgium. The announcement came after a meeting between Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, Vice-President Jyrki Katainen, Employment Commissioner Marianne Thyssen and Minister-President of the Walloon Region Paul Magnette, who was accompanied by Belgian Ambassador to the EU François Roux. The task force, which will meet on Monday 12 September, will principally assist the Belgian authorities in tapping into European funds, such as the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund, to help around 2,200 factory workers (and some 3,000 others working for sub-contractors) who will be made redundant, and help with the process of regeneration of the region and of the site. (JK)