The European Parliament wants the ‘Youth Guarantee’ to become binding and condemns unpaid internships and apprenticeships, in a resolution adopted by a solid majority (577 votes in favour, 77 against and 43 abstentions) at its plenary session in Brussels on Thursday 8 October.
Certainly, MEPs welcome the European Commission’s recommendations of early July, in particular the extension of the ‘Youth Guarantee’ to young people aged 29 and its more targeted approach to young people without work or without education or training (see EUROPE 12517/6). However, they want to go further and, in particular, make its recommendations “binding”. The European Commission is therefore invited to propose a guarantee instrument for the youth.
In the same vein, Parliament calls on the Commission to propose ways in which a legal instrument could guarantee and enforce “fair” remuneration for internships and apprenticeships on the Union’s labour market. Unpaid internships are a practice it “condemns” and which constitutes “a form of exploitation of young people’s work and a violation of their rights”, say MEPs.
Several separate votes requested by the EPP, ECR and ID to delete the reference to a binding instrument for both the ‘Youth Guarantee’ and remuneration were not successful. Similarly, the amendment tabled by Renew Europe removing the condemnation of the practice of unpaid internships did not pass. The Liberal Group preferred to “urge“ Member States to ensure “adequate“ remuneration. The ID amendments to exclude migrants and refugees from the resolution were also rejected.
The latter group either voted against the text or abstained. Similarly, the ECR was split between those who voted in favour and those who voted against. Members of the EPP and Renew Europe also voted against, mainly from the Scandinavian delegations (still very jealous of their social model based on social dialogue).
Unions delighted
The European Trade Union Confederation supported the European Parliament’s call for a ban on unpaid internships. Citing reports from the Court of Auditors and the International Labour Organization, the unions pointed out that the ‘Youth Guarantee’, in its 2013 version, had missed its initial target, with 60% of offers consisting of internships rather than jobs. In addition, they call for an ESF+ budget to reach an average of €7,000 per young person.
Commission is doubtful
During a debate, on Monday in plenary session, the Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, Nicolas Schmit, expressed “his doubts” as to the legal feasibility of such an instrument within the Union’s area of competence (see EUROPE 12575/18). (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)