Joint letter condemning Council Recommendation on Quality Framework for Traineeships

Date: 11th March 2014

We, the undersigned, condemn the Council Recommendation on a Quality Framework for Traineeships approved by the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO) on 10th March.

The situation of interns across Europe is unacceptable, and the Quality Framework for Traineeships proposes next to nothing to remedy this.

Internships must primarily be a learning opportunity for young people, to help them access quality employment. At the same time, interns have the right to quality work experience with safe and fair working conditions. The Recommendation does not ensure this. There are no proposals in the Recommendation that require internship providers to pay their interns or offer them access to social protection. This is deplorable: interns must be paid for the work they undertake as part of internships outside education. The Recommendation fails to address this, perpetuating the fact that internships are not accessible to all young people and thus have become a clear form of social discrimination. Furthermore, the Recommendation does nothing to remedy the fact that poor quality internships are replacing jobs and have thus become a subtle form of precarious employment for young people.

We are extremely disappointed that the Council was unable to agree on Recommendation which abides by the key principles that have been called for by so many youth organisations, civil society actors and other European institutions, as set forth in the European Quality Charter on Internships and Apprenticeships. This is a clear failure to address a pressing demand of young people, in a time when already Europe’s youth are in a vulnerable position as a result of the economic crisis.

The Council has failed to finally turn words into action and has missed the opportunity to deliver to European youth a Quality Framework for Traineeships which ensures their rights are respected.

European Youth Forum

Co-signed by:

B!ngo (Brussels Interns NGO)

ESU (European Students Union)

ESN (Erasmus Student Network)

InternsGoPro

Microsoft Europe

Obessu (Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions)

National Youth Councils

CJE (Consejo de la Juventad de Espana)

FNG (Forum Nazionale Giovani)

MSS (Mladinski Svet Slovenjie)

National organisations

Génération Précaire

Geneva Interns Organisation

InternAware UK

Reppublica Degli Stagisti