Background information

The Ministry of National Economy, by Decision No. 52530 on April 10, 2024, assigned the implementation of the project "Comprehensive Workforce Empowerment Interventions for a Just Transition in the Post-Lignite Era" to the Research Institute of the Greek General Confederation of Labour (INE GSEE). The project contributes to a fair labor transition, aiming to preserve existing jobs, curb unemployment, and promote employment opportunities for workers and self-employed individuals in precarious positions within the lignite phase-out areas of the Western Macedonia and Peloponnese regions. The project is cofunded by the European Program "Just Development Transition 2021–2027." Its implementation period spans from April 1, 2024, to December 31, 2029.

Content of measure

The project "Comprehensive Workforce Empowerment Interventions for a Just Transition in the Post-Lignite Era" targets the intervention areas of Western Macedonia (Kozani, Florina, Kastoria, Grevena) and the Peloponnese Region (Megalopolis, Tripoli, Gortynia, and Oichalia). The project focuses on two categories of interventions:

*Promotion of Employment - this initiative targets unemployed and long-term unemployed individuals by implementing vocational counseling and training programs in skills aligned with the new regional economic model. Emphasis is placed on green and digital skills, as well as fostering entrepreneurship under the evolving labor market conditions, particularly in the fields of renewable energy sources (RES), information and communication technologies (ICT), the circular economy, and the environment.

*Skills Upgrade & Reskilling of the Workforce- an initiative designed for employees in precarious job positions or in professions that require reskilling, particularly in businesses experiencing declining economic activity due to changes and restructuring of the regional production model. Focus areas include RES, ICT, environmental restoration, the circular economy, and other industrial specialties aligned with planned investments.

As part of the initiative, the following are planned: 1. The development of a network of structures to empower the workforce. 2. The implementation of comprehensive programs for workforce skills development, including counseling, training, and skills certification.

Use of measure

The Project includes the training, counseling, and certification of 4,000 beneficiaries in the intervention/lignite phase-out areas, broken down as follows: • 3,000 unemployed individuals (2,250 from Western Macedonia and 750 from the Peloponnese region). • 1,000 employed individuals (750 from Western Macedonia and 250 from the Peloponnese region, specifically from Megalopolis, Tripoli, Gortynia, and Oichalia). Total Project Budget: €21,184,000.00

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Self-employed Unemployed Other groups of workers	Other businesses	Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government Trade unions Company / Companies EU (Council, EC, EP)	European Funds National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Agreed (outcome) incl. social partner initiative	Unknown
Form	Unknown	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• Unknown
• Main level of involvement: Peak or cross-sectoral level

Involvement

The project will be implemented by INE GSEE (the Research Institute of the Greek General Confederation of Labour), following its proposal submission (participation in the relevant tender) to the Ministry of National Economy

Views and reactions

There are no social partner's reactions to the measure.

Sources

• 22 December 2023: ΠΡΟΣΚΛΗΣΕΙΣ: Ολοκληρωμένες παρεμβάσεις ενδυνάμωσης του εργατικού δυναμικού για τη δίκαιη μετάβαση στη μεταλιγνιτική περίοδο (eydam.gr)
• 10 April 2024: Ενταξη της πράξης "Ολοκληρωμένες παρεμβάσεις ενδυνάμωσης εργατικού δυναμικού για τη δίκαιη μετάβαση στη μεταλιγνιτική περίοδο (eydam.gr)