Budgets Committee backs globalisation adjustment aid to workers in Slovenia and Germany

EU Globalisation Adjustment Fund aid for 2,554 redundant workers in Slovenia and 1,181 in Germany was approved by Parliament's Budgets Committee on Thursday. Slovenia applied for €2,247,940 in EU Globalisation Adjustment Fund Aid to help 2,554 former workers at the Mura European Fashion Design (clothing) company to find new jobs.

Germany applied for €8,308,555 in EU Globalisation Adjustment Fund Aid to help 1,181 former workers at Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG's printing machinery plants in Baden-Württemberg to find new jobs.

This aid still needs to be approved by Parliament as a whole in a plenary vote, probably in December. The European Globalisation Adjustment Fund was established to provide additional support for workers made redundant as a result of major structural changes in world trade patterns due to globalisation or the financial crisis and to assist them with their reintegration into the labour market. The fund's annual ceiling is €500 million.

News source: EP Press Room link: article

2011 EU budget: MEPs defend innovation and external actions

After three days of negotiations and voting, Parliament's Budgets Committee on Thursday finalised the bulk of its position on next year's budget. Its key changes increased funding for research, innovation, student mobility, energy and support for the Middle East peace process. This was the first budget exercise under the Lisbon Treaty, which gives Parliament a full say on the whole budget, including farm spending.

Committee members agreed to stick to the limits as laid down in the multi-annual financial framework, which applies until the end of 2013. The committee's position reflects priorities such as research, innovation, student mobility, energy and support to Palestine.

Unlike the Council of Ministers, the committee chose to create headroom for additional spending that might become necessary but is still uncertain. This approach should make the budget more realistic and transparent from the start and should avoid remedial patchwork after the whole budget has been decided.
In general, MEPs sought to restore the draft budget proposed by the Commission, after cuts by the Council in August. Exceptionally, the Budgets Committee voted to increase the budget above the Commission draft version. The committee position will thus be slightly above the draft budget, which is more restrictive than in previous years.

News source: European Parliament link: article