05/07/2017 (Agence Europe) – On Tuesday 4 July, the European Parliament authorised, by a very large majority (602 votes for, 86 against, 9 abstentions), the earmarking of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) to assist 339 Spanish miners that have been made redundant and 125 unemployed young people from the Castilla-Léon region. EGF assistance accounts for around 60% of total costs for helping to retrain these workers out of an estimated total amount of approximately €1 million. The Spanish authorities requested a financial contribution from the EGF on 20 January 2017, following repeated redundancies in five regional mines. The European Commission concluded its assessment at the beginning of June and immediately notified it to the Parliament. It is now up to the Council of the EU to improve this assistance on 11 July next. (PH)