Fund set to help workers in clothing & furniture industries

01 Feb '10

4 min read

For the EU as a whole, the decline in textile production already registered in the second half of 2008 accelerated in 2009. In the first quarter of 2009, the production fell by more than 20% for the textiles and clothing industry, compared to the first quarter of the previous year. The trade deficit in the first quarter of 2009 showed a sharp increase of 19%, mainly due to a strong reduction in exports, in particular to the most important partners, such as the USA, Japan, Russia and Turkey. Those countries represent 45% of the total EU exports of textiles and clothing products.

This effect was seen strongly in Lithuania where the volume of wearing apparel production decreased more than 85% in 2008 and around 70% the first half of 2009, compared with the equivalent period in the previous year with the redundancies as a consequence.

The package of EGF assistance for the ex-workers of the wearing apparel industry will help 491 of the most disadvantaged back into employment by offering them employment incentives, career guidance and retraining. The total estimated cost of the package is almost €805 355, of which the European Union has been asked to provide EGF assistance of €523 481.

European Globalisation Fund

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