More than 100 participants took the opportunity to learn first-hand about the new EGF regulation in a group of experts. In addition to a welcoming address by State Secretary Dr Rolf Schmachtenberg from the German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS) and a keynote speech by Jens Geier, Member of the European Parliament, the digital event included exciting expert presentations from the European Commission and the BMAS. In a panel discussion with representatives of the Federal Employment Agency, IG Metall, the transfer service provider BOB Transfer GmbH as well as the European Commission, many complicated questions on the innovations of EGF funding were discussed in detail.
State Secretary Dr Rolf Schmachtenberg expressed his confidence in the EGF in his welcoming speech at the start of the event:
We hope that the new EGF will become better known and that, thanks to the reduced application hurdles, even more people affected by a job loss will be able to benefit from funding.
Jens Geier, Member of the European Parliament, also welcomed the significantly expanded scope of the EGF:
The labor market is being permanently changed by globalisation, digitisation and the transition to a low-carbon economy. It is good that displaced workers can now also be supported by the EGF in such cases.
The BMAS would like to thank all audience members and active participants and hopes for continued good cooperation in order to successfully implement the EGF in the future.