MEPs approve €856,800 in job-search aid for 250 redundant car workers in Spain

A proposal to grant Spain €856,800 in EU i aid to help find new jobs for 250 former car workers made redundant by 29 firms manufacturing motor vehicle parts in the Valencia region was approved by Parliament on Wednesday. The European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) aid had already been approved by the Council of Ministers on 12 December.

These redundancies followed the bankruptcy and closure of the company Bosal S.A., which made redundant most of the workers concerned. Its core business was manufacturing parts and accessories for motor vehicles. Bosal declared bankruptcy on 15 January 2015 and made its entire workforce of 215 redundant in November that year. It had been in difficulty since 2012, due to the EU automotive industry’s declining output and significant loss of market share over the past decade.

The by Esteban González Pons (EPP, ES) recommending the approval of the aid request was passed by 613 votes to 82, with 12 abstentions.

The measures co-financed by the EGF aim to help the workers to find new jobs by providing them with active career guidance, job-search support, vocational training and training in transversal skills, promotion of entrepreneurship and contributions to business start-ups.

Background

The European Globalisation Adjustment Fund contributes to packages of tailor-made services to help redundant workers find new jobs. Its annual ceiling is €150 million.

Procedure: Budgetary

REF. : 20161208IPR55160