Puglia launches fertility support and Taranto worker retraining programs

The Puglia regional government has announced two distinct social and economic support initiatives.

First, the region is launching a program to support social freezing, allowing women to preserve their fertility through egg freezing. With a total fund of 600,000 euros for the 2026/2027 period, the initiative aims to combat demographic decline and support the right to parenthood. Applications for the contribution, which can reach up to 3,000 euros, will be open starting August 13, 2026, for women aged 27 to 37.

Second, the regional administration has allocated 5 million euros to support workers in the Taranto area facing industrial crisis or reorganization. Funded through the national Just Transition Fund Italia 2021-2027, the program provides training in emerging sectors such as the green and blue economies, digital innovation, and sustainable tourism. The initiative targets at least 750 workers in extraordinary redundancy schemes (CIGS), offering free courses and a participation allowance of approximately 1,000 euros to help offset income loss during retraining.