Finland To Seek Eu Support For Redundant Paper Workers

Finland will apply to the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) in early 2026 to support workers made redundant by paper mill layoffs, particularly in South Karelia, and to soften the wider structural shock to the paper industry. The aid will fund tailored re-employment services such as training, coaching and mobility support, with up to 60 per cent of project costs covered by the EU and the rest financed nationally through municipal employment budgets. Support measures can start immediately when redundancies begin, even before the application is fully approved, ensuring rapid assistance for affected employees and their families. Finland, which has previously used EGF support after major ICT, shipbuilding and retail job losses, aims to redirect paper workers’ skills into new growth sectors and strengthen regional vitality. From 2025, employment areas will implement EGF projects while ELY/Economic Development Centres provide local expertise as partners.​