HELSINKI: Finland is to apply for funding from the European Union in connection with support measures for the redundancies at Microsoft. The aim is to submit the application, being prepared by the Ministry of Employment and the Economy, to the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) in the early autumn, according to a press release.
“The services for those being made redundant will nevertheless be started up immediately. The company’s own support measures and the public measures will be coordinated in terms of the services provided. We have good experience of how EU support can enable a more effective tailoring of services for those being made redundant,” says Minister of Justice and Employment Jari Lindström.
On 25 May 2016, Microsoft announced it was discontinuing product development in Finland. The processing of the application at the EU would take about six months, said the release. “We have to try and turn a difficult situation into an opportunity to create new jobs and businesses in Finland. It is important that the expertise of top professionals is quickly put to use again. The EU support will help us in this,” explains Minister of Economic Affairs Olli Rehn.
The planned reduction in its workforce is approximately 1,350 people. The codetermination measures announced affect the Tampere and Espoo units in particular. There are also other EGF projects currently being implemented in Finland as a result of redundancies at Broadcom, in the software industry and previously at Microsoft. EGF applications are also currently pending in connection with the recent extensive redundancies at Finnish universities and at Nokia.
The EU’s funding share of the EGF support is 60 per cent and the national share is 40 per cent. In cases of major structural change, EGF support is granted for active employment policy measures, such as different forms of training, education, promotion of mobility, pay subsidies and start-up grants.
