On Thursday, the Committee on Budgets approved Belgium’s request for support from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers (EGF). MEPs acknowledged that “the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine have reduced economic competitiveness and have a negative impact on economic growth in Belgium”.

“Logistics Nivelles SA” (LNSA), one of the Belgian subsidiaries of the global transport and logistics firm “Kuehne + Nagel”, used to provide logistics services for fresh and dry food products, wines and spirits to Carrefour. Kuehne + Nagel decided to shut it down following LNSA’s financial difficulties and significant losses in 2020 and 2021, opting to rely on another of its subsidiaries.

Workers from disadvantaged groups

MEPs noted that the layoffs at LNSA are expected to particularly affect workers that are over 50 years old and/or low skilled, as they find it more difficult to re-integrate into stable employment. The…