Fair compensation and social protection, the European Commission wants to end the era of unpaid internships

Brussels –Equal pay and access to social protection for internships: the European Commission pledges to make a legislative proposal before the end of the term to improve conditions for internships in Europe, where shared and EU legislation does not exist, and there are substantial differences between countries. The EU executive welcomes, at least on paper, the requests of the European Parliament which passed a resolution in June to put an end to unpaid internships on the Continent. A commitment the Commission ensures in the communication on the European Year of Youth 2022, adopted today (Jan. 10) by the College of Commissioners, in which it promises new anti-exploitation rules.

“Traineeships are an important stepping stone for young people into the labor market,” Brussels acknowledges in the communication. It adds that “given the distinct benefits of traineeships, young people have asked for better conditions for training in the EU and petitioned for a ban to unpaid traineeships as a legacy of the European Year of Youth,” so Brussels pledges to “update its quality framework for traineeships in 2024 to address issues such as fair pay and access to social protection.”

In particular, the Commission intends to follow up the Parliament’s resolution with a proposal for a legislative act, which will come “in full respect of proportionality, subsidiarity and better law-making principles,” it said in the communication. It is difficult to speculate what the Commission’s next steps will be in terms of legislation, lacking exclusive competence in labor and social policies and having to consider different labor realities. But it is difficult, if not impossible, for the European Commission to impose a minimum wage threshold that is the same for everyone. According to a survey published by Eurobarometer, only 40 percent of internships are paid in Europe today.

“Young people are the leaders of tomorrow, but also the change-makers of today, and their involvement is crucial because they will live the consequences of our decisions,” said Iliana Ivanova, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth. “We are giving them a stronger voice in EU policymaking and addressing their concerns in areas important for them. This is our commitment to building a better future for the next generation.”