About: internships

European Parliament calls for ban on unpaid internships

With youth unemployment on the rise across the EU, and aggravated further by the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, EU lawmakers called upon the European Commission and member states last week to increase their support for young people in precarious working conditions.

Europe, pay your trainees!

Offering internships and traineeships to young people without real prospect of employment and adequate remuneration violates the original nature of these instruments, writes Brando Benifei.

The intern generation needs transparency at work

Today is International Interns Day, but treating your younger staff well should be a permanent priority. And this is not just a reminder to make your intern a coffee for once. Bryn Watkins insists we should check on their development, make sure they have a decent contract and, above all, pay them.

Youth Forum takes battle against unpaid internships to court

The European Youth Forum has lodged a legal complaint over the issue of unpaid internships in Belgium. According to the organisation, just one in five interns in the country are paid.

Greens MEP: Unpaid internships ‘unacceptable’

Nearly 100 laughing young persons gathered around Schuman Circle to protest the plight of unpaid interns on Monday (20 February).

O’Reilly reprimands EEAS over unpaid internships

European Ombudswoman Emily O’Reilly has today (17 February) criticised the EU’s External Action Service for not paying its interns in foreign delegations and advised an overhaul of the programme to improve access for less well-off young people.

Youth leader: ‘We need to stop internships replacing real jobs’

Internships should be a proper learning experience, with good supervision and guidance, says Johanna Nyman. It should also have a positive, supportive working environment with an opportunity for career development and – ideally - a job at the end of the internship.

Europe’s first ‘Intern Day’ highlights unfair work conditions

Internships replacing jobs are an "increasing problem" in Europe, civil society organisations protested on the first-ever European Interns Day on Friday (18 July), explaining that up to 60% of interns in Europe are still unpaid.

Europe’s debate over internships continues

Member states recently backed a European Commission initiative to safeguard interns from exploitation, but the move has been criticised by trade unions and youth groups.

Unpaid internships set to continue to shame Europe

Poor quality, unpaid internships are a big issue across Europe: rather than being a valuable learning experience and stepping stone, they are modern day slave labour in all too many cases, writes Giuseppe Porcaro.

The EU should lead by example on interns’ rights

The practice of unpaid internships is frightfully common in EU affairs. European institutions should lead by example and cover a reasonable portion of living costs of the youngsters who are roaming the institutions for a shot at a real job, Philippe Perchoc and Evan O'Connell write in an open letter.