Brussels, 10/04/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 10 April the European Parliament approved the release of aid from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGAF) for Portugal and Malta. The report by Reimer Böge (EPP-ED, Germany) was adopted with 555 votes in favour, 40 against and 35 abstentions. Malta for will get €681 207 to fund an assistance plan for textile workers who had lost their jobs following the unexpected closure of two companies, VF Ltd. and Bortex Clothing. The total cost of the plan to reintegrate the redundant workers on the labour market is put at €1.3 million by the Maltese authorities. Portugal will get €2 425 675 to retrain 1549 Portuguese workers laid off by three automobile companies (Alcoa Fujikura, Johnson Controls and a factory belonging to Opel Portugal). The plan of the Portuguese authorities, expected to cost a total of €4.8 million, provides for vocational retraining, aid for entrepreneurship and certification of the employees' qualifications. (L.C.)