Amazon outlines job initiatives in Europe's low-employment areas

Euronews

2 days ago

Washington has doubled its tariffs on steel and aluminium to 50% as President Donald Trump seeks to exclude foreign producers from the US market.
The directive, which the White House shared on X, claimed that the rise would 'provide greater support' to US industries, and would 'eliminate the national security threat' posed by imported steel and aluminium.
'Nobody is going to get around that,' Trump said when first discussing the raise at a rally in Pennsylvania last Friday. 'At 25%, they can sort of get over that fence. At 50% they can no longer get over the fence.'
While Washington claims that excluding foreign producers will support employment in the US, critics argue that it also jeopardises domestic jobs. As materials become more expensive and the price of production rises, US firms may let go of staff to trim costs.
It's estimated that steel and aluminium tariffs introduced during Trump's first term in 2018 destroyed 75,000 US manufacturing jobs, while creating 1,000 extra jobs in the steel industry.
Wednesday's tariff hike also creates added friction with international trade partners ahead of Trump's 9 July deadline, when his so-called 'reciprocal' tariff pause will end. In April, Trump temporarily halted proposed duties on a number of countries. The president's team at the time said they were aiming for '90 deals in 90 days'.
So far, the US has only managed to secure a trade deal with the UK, meaning that British steel and aluminium producers will continue to pay a rate of 25% — at least for now.
The president's tariff proposals also faced a significant legal blow last week. The New York-based Court of International Trade and a federal court in Washington DC ruled that Trump did not have the authority to impose tariffs on nearly every one of the world's countries — a battle predicted to end up in the Supreme Court.
Steel and aluminium levies were not part of that ruling, although Washington will likely want to show its determination to push ahead with duties.
As the latest hike comes into effect, EU trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič will meet his US counterpart Ambassador Jamieson Greer on Wednesday on the sidelines of an OECD meeting in Paris.
In 2024, Amazon contributed over €41 billion to Europe's GDP, and over €29 billion to the EU27, according to their latest impact report, released on June 4.
To put that in perspective, €41 billion is just a little bit more than the entire GDP of Latvia.
"Our economic impact in Europe goes far beyond the numbers," explains Mariangela Marseglia, VP of Amazon Stores EU.
"We're creating opportunities where they're needed most, supporting local economies, and helping to revitalize communities across the continent.'
And whilst the impact may 'go beyond the numbers', let's take a closer look at the stats.
In the EU, Amazon directly employs 150,000 people and the impact on communities outside of traditional employment hubs has created an interesting ripple effect on the local economies.
In France's Hauts-de-France region, where unemployment sits at 8.7% - well above the national average of 7.3% - Amazon has created over 6,000 jobs in the past decade.
This region has previously suffered from the deindustrialisation that has plagued many communities in Europe, with the loss of mining, steelmaking and wool industries.
The retail giant's fulfillment centre at Lauwin-Planque employs over 2,600 permanent staff, with 84% living within a 30-minute drive. Eleven years after opening, 71% of locals report the site has had a positive or very positive impact, with 94% highlighting job creation as a key benefit.
This is echoed across the EU as over 90,000 of Amazon's employees are based in areas with higher than average unemployment rates, according to a report from Eurostat.
Research from Ipsos further revealed that 81% of residents near an Amazon logistics facility report increased job opportunities since the company's arrival and over half say financial improvements have led them to consider major life decisions like purchasing property or starting a family.
While zero-hour contracts are banned in several EU countries, in the European countries that do allow them, Amazon confirmed this is not an employment method they practice.
In 2024, Amazon invested more than €55 billion in infrastructure and its workforce across Europe (€38bn in the EU27), bringing its total investment since 2010 to €320 billion.
Although most people know Amazon for its e-commerce platform, a huge part of its business also comes from Amazon Web Services (AWS) and its cloud computing offerings.
Future investments from the company seem centred around AWS and will drive employment in diverse skill sets.
Some €8.8 billion is planned in the Frankfurt region through 2026, supporting 15,200 full-time equivalent jobs and contributing an estimated €15.4 billion to Germany's GDP. Moreover, £8 billion (€9.5 bn) will be invested in the UK before the end of 2028, supporting 14,000 jobs annually and contributing £14 billion (€16.6 bn) to the UK's total GDP.
A further €6 billion is being invested in France to develop cloud infrastructure until 2031. Predictions estimate this will contribute €16.8 billion to France's GDP and will support an average of 5,271 full-time jobs annually.
In Spain, a €15.7 billion injection will support 17,500 jobs annually and contribute an estimated €21.6 billion to Spain's gross domestic product (GDP) through to 2033.
The Eurozone unemployment rate fell to 6.2% in April from 6.3% in March, matching the record low recorded in December 2024, according to Eurostat.
This decline was mainly driven by easing energy and intermediate input prices as well as stabilising inflation. These developments have given companies greater financial flexibility, reducing the need to lay off workers in order to afford materials and cover bills.
The creation of more job opportunities through the ongoing green and digital transition has also contributed to decline in Eurozone unemployment.
The number of people without jobs fell by 207,000 in April compared to the previous month, bringing the total to 10.7 million. In the European Union, there were 12.9 million people without a job in April, which was a decrease of 188,000 compared to March 2025.
Similarly, the youth unemployment rate in the Eurozone, reflecting job seekers under the age of 25, fell to a four-month low of 14.4%, down from 14.8% in March.
Germany recorded one of the lowest unemployment rates in the Eurozone in April, at 3.6%, while the Netherlands' unemployment rate was 3.8%. On the other hand, Spain recorded an unemployment rate of 10.9% in April, while Italy's unemployment rate was 5.9%. The French unemployment rate was 7.1%.