One step forward for interns
The fight for fair pay for interns in the EU is moving forward! After the Council set its stance a few months ago, the European Parliament has now adopted its own position.
Spoiler alert: it’s much better.
Would you like to know more? Get in touch!
European Parliament takes the Directive one step forward
After years of campaigning by young people, youth organisations, and trade unions to ban unpaid internships, the European Commission answered our calls by proposing binding legislation a little over a year ago.
But adopting binding legislation at EU level requires compromise and agreement between the different institutions.
Both the European Parliament and the Council have to agree internally on their institutional position, before negotiations between these institutions on a final text can start. The Council adopted its position last June - and it was a real step back from the European Commission’s initial proposal, by narrowing down the scope and watering down the criteria for assessment against abuse.
Now the European Parliament moved the text one step forward!
Pay is clearly mentioned
This has been young people's main demand, internships are work and work has to be paid. Research by the International Labour Organisation (2021) identifies pay as the key criteria for a quality internship.
In its position, the European Parliament clearly mentions that internships should be based on a written agreement where the conditions on pay are clearly detailed in line with national law, collective bargaining practices or the Minimum Wage Directive.
Additionally, the European Parliament considers absence of pay as an indicator that the internship is being misused for purposes other than the transition from education to work.
Quality criteria and strengthening assessment against abuse
Several articles have been expanded to include the quality criteria of an internship and to strengthen the assessment against abuse.
The European Parliament says that an internship’s written agreement should include its duration, pay conditions, learning and training objectives, rights and obligations of each party, mentorship, and policies on confidentiality and intellectual property rights. Aspects concerning the access to social security protection, promotion of internships as real work experience in future recruitment processes, transparent recruitment processes, recognition of skills acquired through a certificate, health and safety at work, inclusion of persons with disabilities as well as all those facing structural disadvantages in the labour market have all been added to the text.
Not all is a fairytale
Unfortunately these extended protections will not apply to all types of interns in the EU, internships as part of education have once again been excluded from the scope. The European Parliament’s scope only covers internships in the labour market, internships as part of recognised professions (such as doctors or lawyers), and internships promoted by the public employment services. We are concerned that once again a big proportion of those doing internships will not be covered by this Directive, leaving place for loopholes and exploitation.
Getting ready for the negotiations
Now that both the Council and the European Parliament have adopted their internal positions on the Directive, negotiations can start. We will be watching this process up close to ensure the approved Directive is the most ambitious possible, - one which levels up, instead of levelling down.
Moving forward, our demands haven’t changed:
No intern should be left behind - the scope needs to be the broadest possible to include the different types of internships;
Fair pay needs to be guaranteed - only by ensuring that internships are paid do we guarantee that they are accessible;
Include provisions strengthening assessment against abuse - by including articles around written agreement, maximum duration, learning component, having a mentor in place, recognition of skills and work experience in future recruitment processes.
We are yet to reach our destination
Currently, 40% of young people in the EU find it difficult or very difficult to make ends meet. Quality of employment remains one of the biggest challenges facing young people. The financial instability which ensues from precarious work has long-term consequences on career progression or access to social security protection. For too long society has been sitting idly by as young people miss out on opportunities and cannot live up to their potential. They are spending their youth on unpaid traineeships and part-time contracts which won’t even get them out of their parents’ house.
The EU has the responsibility to change this. Join us in holding them accountable.
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