Ulster Unionist MEP Jim Nicholson and DUP MEP Diane Dodds have met with officials from the European Commission this afternoon to discuss if the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) could provide support for employees at JTI Gallaher’s Ballymena site.  Mr Nicholson secured the meeting following last week’s announcement by JTI Gallaher that almost 900 staff would be made redundant.

The two MEPs met with officials from the Directorate General for Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion, the department of the European Commission responsible for the EGF.

Speaking after the meeting Jim and Diane said:

“Given the number of proposed redundancies at JTI Gallaher’s Ballymena site we welcome that the Commission agreed to today’s meeting to have an initial discussion about the potential for the EGF to assist employees affected by last week’s announcement.”

The EGF provides support to assist workers made redundant and to help them find alternative employment or create their own businesses. The fund is designed to be used primarily in cases where over 500 employees have been made redundant by a business.

The MEPs continued:

“In the past few weeks alone the Commission has for example proposed to make millions of Euros available from the EGF to assist workers in a jewellery firm in the Republic of Ireland, staff in a clothing retail chain in Greece and shipyard workers in Finland.”

“Today’s meeting was therefore an important first step which has helped to clarify both the criteria for an application and what must now be done by HM Government and the Northern Ireland Executive to access and implement the fund locally. 

“We are determined that JTI Gallaher workers gain access to whatever EU support they are entitled to particularly as an EU Directive has played a role in bringing about last week’s announcement - we must now utilise every opportunity to help minimise the impact on those facing redundancy.”