Independent MEP Marian Harkin today (20 June) congratulated the Irish EU Presidency for brokering a deal to maintain the EU Globalisation Fund, "in particular for the young unemployed and those who lose their job as a result of the economic crisis".

Harkin, who as Rapporteur* on the EGF will be representing the European Parliament at "trilogue" meetings between the EU institutions (Commission, Council and Parliament) to determine the future of the Fund, said that "this is a welcome outcome after a long journey, and I am confident we can find a sensible final agreement to secure the future of the EGF - a fund for redundant workers which embodies the spirit of European solidarity in a time of great economic hardship".

The agreement between EU Ministers now enables the EU Council to enter into immediate negotiations with the European Parliament. If the two institutions agree, the European Globalisation Fund (EGF) is expected to fund education and retraining measures for unemployed workers, up to a maximum €1.05 billion in the period 2014 – 2020.
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Background Note: The European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) was set up by the EU in late 2006 to help workers find new jobs and develop new skills when they have lost their jobs as a result of:
 
• changing global trade patterns, e.g. when a large company shuts down or a factory is moved to outside the EU or
• the global financial and economic crisis
 
*Marian Harkin MEP is the European Parliament Draftsperson for the report on the EGF fund post-2014.