Budget Deadlock Halts €25 Million EU Aid To Jobless Workers In Seven Countries

Almost €25 million in EU aid to help over 5,000 redundant workers in seven EU countries was halted on Thursday because there is no money left in the EU budget to fund it.

The Budgets Committee had to postpone its vote to approve the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund aid because the Council has not agreed on Draft Amending Budget 6 for 2012. The aid would go to Spain, Finland, Denmark, Italy, Romania, Sweden and Austria.

Unless a solution is found in talks on the 2012 budget shortfall and the 2013 budget, the aid is set to remain blocked.

The aid is destined for:

Spain: €1.30 million for 500 unemployed workers in the metal products sector in País Vasco,

Finland: €5.35 million for 1,000 workers in Nokia plc,

Denmark: €1.37 million for 153 unemployed workers in the electronics sector,

Italy: €2.66 million for 502 workers who lost their jobs at ten firms producing two-wheelers in the region of Emilia-Romagna,

Romania: €2.94 million for 1416 to workers at Nokia and its suppliers,

Sweden: €5.45 million for 1350 workers who lost their jobs at Saab Automobile SA, Saab Automobile Powertrain AB and 16 of its suppliers, and

Austria: €5.20 million to 350 workers who lost their jobs in the mobile social services sector in the region Steiermark region.

The European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) provides additional support for workers hit by major structural changes in world trade patterns. The money that was to be approved today would fund job-search, training and entrepreneurship schemes and grants to help more than 5,000 unemployed people back into work.