The European Commission has proposed mobilising €1.6 million in EU funding to support workers affected by the bankruptcy and closure of Tupperware Belgium, which shut its
doors in February 2025. The aid would come from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers (EGF) and is intended to help 267 former employees get back into work as quickly as possible.
The proposed support package focuses on reskilling and reintegration into the labour market. It will finance tailored measures such as career counselling, personalised guidance, job-search events and training programmes that develop both professional and transferable skills. The goal is to equip dismissed workers with the tools they need to adapt to a changing job market and secure new employment.
The total cost of the planned measures is estimated at €1.9 million. Of this amount, 85% (€1.6 million) would be covered by the European Commission, while the remaining 15% (€300,000) would be financed by the Flemish Public Employment Service (VDAB). Belgian authorities began providing support to the affected workers immediately after the company’s bankruptcy in February 2025, with EGF funding able to cover these costs retroactively.
Approval process
Before the funds can be released, the proposal must be approved by both the European Parliament and the Council. This requires a simple majority vote in Parliament and a qualified majority in the Council.
A proven EU safety net
Since its creation in 2007, the EGF has been activated in 186 cases, distributing €727 million to support more than 181,000 workers across 20 EU Member States. The fund is designed to complement national labour market measures by offering targeted, time-limited assistance to people who lose their jobs due to major economic changes.
According to the most recent biennial EGF activity report, 81% of workers who received support found new employment within 18 months. These results underline the fund’s role in strengthening employability and helping workers transition into better-quality jobs.
The Commission sees the EGF as a key tool for building a more dynamic and competitive European economy. By investing in skills and lifelong learning, the EU aims to help workers adapt to rapid economic and technological change while supporting broader upskilling across European industries.
This focus was reinforced in November 2025, when the Commission launched a Skills Guarantee pilot to support workers in transition. As a flagship initiative under the Union of Skills, it is expected to strengthen strategic sectors in line with the future European Competitiveness Fund.