Finland applies EU aid to re-employ laid off Finnair workers

Finland will apply for support from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) due to the redundancies announced by Finnair in October. The state submitted an application to the European Commission on 30 December concerning 500 persons who were made redundant by the flag carrier or companies associated with it.

According to the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, the funding will be used for services promoting re-employment. The total budget of the project is estimated at approximately 3 million euros, of which 40% will be nationally funded. The project will take place in the Uusimaa region.

“It is important that the Finnish labour market can benefit from the diverse expertise of those made redundant by Finnair as soon as possible. EGF support will make it possible to offer customised services also for those who for one reason or another are not among the first ones to find new employment,” says Minister of Employment Tuula Haatainen.

Support measures

According to the EGF’s operating model, the support measures will start as soon as possible after the redundancy notice, even though preparing and processing the application itself is quite slow.

Services for those made redundant from Finnair were launched immediately after the layoffs started in October 2020. According to the government, the unemployment services (TE Office) in Uusimaa has hired more than 30 new experts to serve job seekers from the aviation sector.

"All educational and other services for the job seekers have been designed in close cooperation with Finnair," the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment said.

Between 2007 and 2019, ten projects supported by the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund have been implemented in Finland.