The European Commission recently highlighted the 10th anniversary of the European Globalization Adjustment Fund (EGF), which assists member states in helping workers whose jobs are negatively affected by globalization.

"The European Globalization Adjustment Fund is one of the most concrete expressions of European solidarity and an essential instrument to support workers who have lost their jobs as a result of changing trade patterns,” Marianne Thyssen, commissioner for employment, social affairs, skills and labor mobility, said in a statement.

The fund provides co-funding for projects like job search support and careers advice; education, training and re-training; mentoring and coaching; and entrepreneurship and business creation. These projects benefit both workers whose jobs have been made redundant and, in more limited cases, young people in areas with high levels of youth unemployment. In the past 10 years, the fund has issued more than $636 million of funding through 148 applications from 21 member states.

“During the last 10 years we were able to support more than 140,000 people,” Thyssen said. “It has a clear added-value because it tops up national support mechanisms for workers involved in mass layoffs, and funds measures that are tailored to workers' specific needs in order to help them move on."