The Diplomat
The European Commission on Friday announced the approval of 274.9 million euros from the React-EU cohesion fund to support measures to train and reintegrate vulnerable jobseekers into the labour market, for example by improving their technological skills and strengthening social systems and access to them.
137 million will be allocated to the Spanish operational programme of the Fund for the Most Deprived Persons (FEAD) to provide food aid and accompanying measures to the most vulnerable groups, including people who have fled Ukraine due to the Russian aggression against Ukraine.
The remaining 137.9 million will be distributed among projects in eight autonomous communities: Cantabria, Castilla y León, Catalonia, Ceuta, Melilla, Galicia, the Balearic Islands and the Basque Country.
Thus, Cantabria will receive 660,000 euros for start-up companies and vocational education and training programmes with the aim of favouring job creation, while Castile and Leon will receive 12.7 million euros for research in universities and the recruitment of more teaching staff in the region’s schools, as well as for improving health and social services.
In Catalonia, €86.7 million will go mainly to boosting the region’s digital and ecological transition by supporting vocational education and training programmes to help people with difficulties in finding employment.
In Ceuta, €1 million will be used to create jobs and support start-up businesses to mitigate the impact of the pandemic, for example by upgrading and renewing the skills of the workforce through vocational education and training.
In Galicia, €11.6 million will support self-employed people, women and the unemployed. The funds will also improve public services to help the unemployed find work.
In the Balearic Islands, €9.8 million will help people to keep their jobs and support job creation through training, in particular in digital skills, while supporting health services in their fight against the pandemic by strengthening the health system.
Melilla will receive €1.8 million to help the unemployed access the labour market through job creation and training. The funds will also ensure a resilient recovery of the economy by helping young people, the self-employed and entrepreneurs to keep their jobs.
Finally, the Basque Country will have €13.5 million to support investments in education and vocational training programmes to ensure continuity of education during the pandemic, as well as measures to promote employment and support entrepreneurs and initiatives for social inclusion.
