EU lawmakers have approved €2 million in support to help 507 former Liberty Steel Belgium employees in Wallonia after the company went bankrupt in April 2025, the European Parliament said.
MEPs backed a European Commission proposal to mobilise the money from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers (EGF), a pot that helps people who lose their jobs after major restructuring events, it said.
The measure passed with 586 votes in favour, 48 against and 16 abstentions, according to the Parliament.
The funding will pay for career counselling and guidance, vocational training — including IT skills — and support for workers who want to start their own businesses, it added.
The total cost of the package is estimated at €2.4 million, with 85% (€2 million) covered by the EGF and 15% (€0.4 million) paid by Wallonia’s public employment services, the organisation said.
Belgian authorities began paying support to the affected workers in June 2025, with those costs set to be covered retroactively by the EU contribution, the Parliament said.
### What the fund is and how it works
Member states can apply for EGF support when at least 200 workers are made redundant within a defined period, with any Commission proposal needing approval from both the European Parliament and the Council, the Parliament said.
Since 2007, the EGF has helped more than 181,000 people in 20 EU member states, with €727 million disbursed, according to the Parliament.
