EU spreekt globaliseringsfonds aan om werknemers Nederlandse druksector bij te staan (en)

Brussels, 28 June 2011 - The European Commission today approved four applications from the Netherlands for assistance from the EU Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF). The applications will now be put before the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union for decision. If approved, the € 5.8 million requested will help 1,764 workers made redundant by 101 enterprises in the printing sector back into employment.

"With the crisis, the demand for printed media material has fallen sharply, in particular for magazines and newspapers. This has led to redundancies and those looking for new opportunities are finding it especially difficult to return to the job market." said László Andor, EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion. He added: "I am confident that today's decision to provide training and job-search support from the EGF will help these Dutch workers find new jobs."

The Dutch applications relate to 1,764 redundancies in 101 enterprises in the printing and publishing sector. The dismissals were a consequence of the financial and economic crisis which resulted in a substantial decrease in demand from the graphic media industry. The orders from other economic sectors for printed advertising material, which represents 35 % of the total turnover of the printing sector, decreased by 5.6 % between 2008 and 2009 due to the reduction of budgets for media and advertising activities induced by the economic crisis. In 2009, compared to 2008, the demand for popular magazines decreased by 25.7%; for newspapers by 24.4%, for commercial newspapers distributed free of charge by 10.5%, and for professional magazines by 23.4%.

The redundancies are spread through six of the twelve Dutch provinces and their impact at local level differs according to the region. However, in the graphics sector, there is a relatively high proportion of workers in the older age group, where unemployment is already high across the provinces. The redundancies covered by these applications further aggravate the problem.

The package of EGF assistance for the former 1,764 workers in the printing industry will help them on their way back into employment by offering them: recognition of prior experience, training and re-training, job to job accompaniment and support for business creation. The total estimated cost of the package is € 9 million, of which the European Union has been asked to provide EGF assistance of € 5.8 million.

Background

There have been 77 applications to the EGF since the start of its operations in January 2007, for a total amount of about €353 million, helping over 75,000 workers. EGF applications relate to the following sectors: automotive (France, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Austria, Germany, Sweden and Belgium); textiles (Italy, Malta, Lithuania, Portugal, Spain and Belgium); mobile phones (Finland and Germany); domestic appliances (Italy); computers and electronic products (Ireland, Portugal and the Netherlands); shipbuilding (Denmark); mechanical/electronic (Denmark, Poland and Germany); repair and maintenance of aircraft and spacecraft (Ireland); crystal glass (Ireland); ceramics and natural stone (Spain); construction (Netherlands, Italy, Ireland and Lithuania); carpentry and joinery (Spain); electrical equipment (Lithuania) publishing and printing industry (Netherlands), furniture (Lithuania), shoe manufacture (Portugal), retail trade (Czech Republic, Greece and Spain) and wholesale trade (Netherlands). Final reports from the earlier cases supported by the EGF show strong results in helping workers stay in the labour market and find new jobs.

The EGF, an initiative first proposed by President Barroso to provide help for people who lose their jobs due to the impact of globalisation, was established by the European Parliament and the Council at the end of 2006. In June 2009, the EGF rules were revised to strengthen the role of the EGF as an early intervention instrument. It forms part of Europe's response to the financial and economic crisis. The revised EGF Regulation entered into force on 2 July 2009 and applies to all applications received from 1 May 2009 onwards.

Further information

EGF website

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