Activities of Monica SEMEDO related to 2020/2005(INL)
Reports (1)
REPORT with recommendations to the Commission on quality traineeships in the Union
Amendments (34)
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas traineeships are a commonn important way for young people to gain experience before finding stable employment; whereas traineeships can ease the transition from education or vocational training into the labour market; whereas it is crucial that optimal conditions and incentives are established to enable young people to have access to high-quality traineeships that will provide them with a useful learning experience, as well as work experience and the development of a relevant set of skills; whereas the skills acquired and the workload of traineeships must be proportionate to the remuneration for the traineeshiprainees carrying out open labour market traineeships, traineeships in the context of active labour market policies (ALMP) and traineeships that are part of mandatory professional training should have the right to remuneration as set out in Annex I; whereas trainees carrying out traineeships undertaken with the aim of obtaining educational qualifications should have access to adequate compensation as set out in Annex II;
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas different definitiontypes of traineeships exist across the Union; whereas a traineeship can be understood to be a limited period of work practice which is paid and which includes a learning and training component and which a person undertakes in order to gain practical and professional experience with a view to improving that person’s employability and facilitating transition to stable employment7; _________________ whereas Parliament has repeatedly condemned the practice of unpaid traineeships as a form of exploitation of young workers and a violation of their rights and has called for a common legal framework to ensure fair remuneration for traineeships in order to avoid exploitative practices1a; _________________ 1a European Parliament resolution of 17 February 2022 on empowering European youth: post-pandemic employment and social recovery (2021/2952(RSP)) 7 2014 Council Recommendation, p. 3.
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas different types of traineeship exist across the Union and not all types can be found in all Member States; whereas most traineeships across the Union can be divided into the categories comprising: open-market traineeships, traineeships associated with active labour market policies and traineeships that are part of professional training oALMPs, traineeships that are part of professional training and traineeships that are part of an academic or vocational curricula; whereas all these different types of traineeships provide an opportunity for young people to receive training, acquire skills that meet labour pmart of an academic or vocational curricula; ket needs and should provide them with easier access to quality jobs in the future while fulfilling their personal needs; whereas the Union, Member States and the social partners have a key role to play in providing access to quality traineeships;
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas studies have established links between the quality of traineeships and employment outcomes8, with remuneration being one of the key quality criteria of what establishes a high-quality traineeship8a; _________________ 8 https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/et udes/STUD/2022/699459/EPRS_STU(202 2)699459_EN.pdf, p. 1 8a https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public /---dgreports/---dcomm/--- publ/documents/publication/wcms_79977 3.pdf
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas a person may experience discrimination differently based on a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, that person’s gendersex, race, colour or ethn, nationality, ethnic or social and economic origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, class or social origin, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, or agepolitical or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age or sexual orientation must be prohibited 9a; whereas it is crucial to focus on addressing and overcoming all discrimination in traineeships and ensuring the accessibility of traineeships to persons and groups of persons who are furthest away from the labour market; whereas young people living in weaker financial circumstances, including people living in single-parent households, people with disabilities, migrants, people with lower educational levels, young people not living with their parents and people from low work- intensity households, are less likely to have access to the financial resources required to undertake unpaid or low- paying traineeships9b; _________________ 9a Article 21 on Non-discrimination of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights http://fra.europa.eu/en/eu- charter/article/21-non- discrimination#:~:text=Any%20discrimin ation%20based%20on%20any,sexual%20 orientation%20shall%20be%20prohibited. 9b https://www.youthforum.org/files/230111- DP-CostUnpaidInternships.pdf
Amendment 6 #
Amendments - 61, 70, 71, 72, 73 Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas high-quality traineeships can contribute to combatting skills mismatches and consequent labour market shortages in the Union, by reducing the search burden and matching the costs borne by traineeship providers and trainees; whereas too many young people are unable to find stable employment because they do not have the necessary skills or because they are working in jobs that do not match their skill set; whereas, at the same time, 40 % of employers cannot find people with the necessary skills to fill their vacancies9are crucial to properly educate and train young people for the needs of the labour market and to tackle skills mismatches and consequent labour market shortages in the Union, while fulfilling the personal interests of the trainee and emphasising the potential added value for both employers and trainees; whereas too many young people are unable to find stable employment because available jobs might not correspond to their skill set; whereas, at the same time, 40 % of employers9face difficulties finding employeeswith the rightskills; whereas the Union’s youth unemployment rate is 15,1%, and in the context of the current cost-of-living crisis, according to Eurostat9a, young people are the group facing the highest risk of living in poverty, with 1 in 4 of young people living at-risk-of-poverty or social exclusion, and with young women living at a higher risk of poverty or social exclusion; _________________ 9 https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId= 1146&langId=en 9a https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/files/9173_ en.pdf
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas about half of all 15 to 34- year olds in the Union have gained work experience in at least one traineeship; whereas the majority of young people report having worked in two unpaid internships before getting stable employment8c; whereas this means that approximately four million persons take part in at least one traineeship per year in the Union10; _________________ 8c https://www.youthforum.org/files/230111- DP-CostUnpaidInternships.pdf 10 https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/et udes/STUD/2022/699459/EPRS_STU(202 2)699459_EN.pdf, p. 2
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L
Recital L
L. whereas, according to the same Eurobarometer survey, only 40 % of trainees received financial compensation and whereas more than half of those trainees (53 %) considered say that compensation to be insufficient to cover their basic living costs12; whereas adequate remuneration for traineeships must cover at least basic living costs; _________________ 12 Ibid
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital N a (new)
Recital N a (new)
Na. whereas incentives to employers are crucial when offering quality traineeships, in particular where those employers are microenterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises; whereas strengthening digital skills and the necessary digital tools to support trainees while carrying out their traineeship is encouraged; whereas, in this regard, the Digital Opportunity Traineeships (DOTs) programme, offered under the Erasmus+ programme, provides students and young graduates with the opportunity to gain digital skills at work and gain experience in the technology sector; whereas quality traineeships should in general be carried out while being physically present; whereas remote or hybrid work is increasingly the norm in a number of sectors and undertakings; whereas, in this regard, any remote or hybrid part of a traineeship should be acceptable only when presence in the workplace is not necessary or possible and should comply with quality criteria;
Amendment 10 #
1. Highlights that traineeships are primarily a learning experience that should not replace entry-level jobs; calls on the Commission and the Member States, in close cooperation with the social partners, to facilitate and improve access for young people to high-quality, paid and, inclusive traineeships, particularly for those coming from vulnerable backgrounds, with a view to achieving the Union’s objective of social cohesion and inclusion;
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Highlights the need to tackle skills mismatches, whileproperly educate and train young people for the needs of the labour market to tackle skills mismatches, while fulfilling their personal interests and emphasising the potential added value in this regard for both employers and trainees; in this regard, highlights the need to offer traineeships in areas linked to skills needs of, labour marketshortages and future oriented sectors to overcome labour shortages in view of both the green and the digital transition;
Amendment 12 #
4. Recalls that high-quality traineeships can play a valuable contribution in achieving the Union social targets by 2030, asof having at least 60 % of all adults participating in training every year and having at least 78 % of people aged 20 to 64 who should be in employment, as well as reducing the rate of NEETs to 9% through quality opportunities, in line with Agenda 2030 and SDG Nos 1, 4, 8 and 10;
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls on the Commission to update and strengthen the 2014 Council Recommendation on Quality Framework for Traineeships and to turn it into a stronger legislative instrument;
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 – introductory part
Paragraph 6 – introductory part
6. Recognises that existing Quality Framework for Traineeships (QFT) principles remain relevant in supporting young people who undertake high-quality traineeships; however, stresses that new principles must be addedguiding employers to offer high-quality traineeships; takes note of the vulnerable position faced by young people in the labour market; stresses that new principles must be added to the QFT in order to improve the quality of traineeships and ease the transition of all young people from education into the labour market; calls on the Commission, therefore, to include the following additional principles in an updated Quality Framework for Traineeships:
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 – indent -1 (new)
Paragraph 6 – indent -1 (new)
-1 access to adequate compensation in line with the cost of living;
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 – indent 2
Paragraph 6 – indent 2
- increased access to traineeships byfor trainees with disabilities and trainees from other marginalised groupfrom vulnerable backgrounds, including trainees with disabilities, using an intersectional approach,;
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 – indent 2 a (new)
Paragraph 6 – indent 2 a (new)
- accessible workplaces;
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 – indent 3
Paragraph 6 – indent 3
- access to high-quality conditions for remote and hybrid traineeships, where applicable,compliance of any remote part of a traineeship with quality criteria;
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 – indent 4
Paragraph 6 – indent 4
- clear learning objectives and access to adequate mentorship and to the guidance of trained mentors; to ensure intergenerational transfers of skills;
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 – indent 4 a (new)
Paragraph 6 – indent 4 a (new)
- in cooperation with the national labour inspectorates and relevant authorities, report malpractice and poor conditions during the traineeship period by means of established channels;
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls on the Commission to propose a directive to ensure adequate remuneration for traineeshipsfor open labour market traineeships, traineeships in the context of ALMP and traineeships that are a mandatory part of professional training to ensure minimum quality standards, including rules on duration, access to social protection in accordance with national law and practices as well as remuneration ensuring a decent standard of living as set out in Annex I in order to avoid exploitative practices;
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Reiterates the central role that the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), the Recovery and Resilience Facility and its associated Scoreboard linking funding to policies for the Next Generation, and the Youth Guarantee, can play in contributing to an increase in the number of high- quality traineeships including those that are accessible to disadvantaged groups; urges Member States, with the support of the Commission, to use all available resources in this area; calls on the Member States to increase investment including through the ESF+ to support measures aimed at integrating disadvantaged youth;
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Calls on the Member States to better utilise the ESF+ to help progression within education and, training and transition to work, by supporting the development of skills and competences, including upskilling, reskilling, lifelong learning and employability with a view to facilitating full participation in society for all, and contributing to competitiveness14; particularly with regard to persons who come from a vulnerable background in order to ensure their access to equal opportunities, and contributing to competitiveness14; underlines the particular role of Erasmus+ in promoting intra-Union labour mobility for young trainees; _________________ 14 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal- content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32021 R1057&from=EN
Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Calls on the Commission to raise awareness at national, regional and local level of available Union funds to ensure the accessibility by all to high-quality traineeships, particularly persons who come from a vulnerable background in order to ensure their access to equal opportunities;
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Calls on the Commission to support the exchange of best practices between the Members States onin the area of high-quality traineeships that are accessible to all; encourages Member States to provide guidance and assistance to employers, in particular microenterprises and small and medium sized-enterprises, to enable them to offer high-quality traineeships, and to offer incentives to employers that provide trainees a high- quality job placement after the successful completion of a traineeship;
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. WelcomesCalls on the Commission proposal toto place particular focus on ensuring quality, accessible (EPP 175) and paid traineeships, particularly in the open labour marke 2023t, during the European Year of Skills; calls on the Commission to place particular attention on quality and paid traineeships during the European Year of Skills as a follow-up to the European Year of Youth and in line with the Report on the Final Outcome of the Conference on the Future of Europe, May 2022;
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Calls for more cooperation between all stakeholders involved, in particular education and vocational training providers, businessespublic employment services, traineeship providers including employers , national, regional and local governments and involvement of social partners, representatives of youth organisations and trainees; suggests the creation of a European Alliance for Traineeships, similar to the European Alliance for Apprenticeships, uniting governments and key stakeholders with the aim of strengthening the quality and offer of traineeships across the Union, while promoting the mobility of trainees, in particular by ensuring access to sufficient financial resources, including language courses;
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Calls for the support of local pacts for skills in cooperation with public employment agencies of local authoritiesservices and all relevant actors at local level to ensure that traineeships help in closing the skills mismatch in the labour markets;
Amendment 29 #
20. Highlights that further data is needed in particular on: statistics of unpaid traineeships and in which sectors the issue is more predominant; barriers that trainees face in obtaining a high-quality traineeship and ways of overcoming them; the effects of the COVID-19 pandemicrecent socio-economic crises on trainees; the challenges frequently faced when undertaking a traineeship and ways in which to overcome them; possible obstacles faced by employers when offering high-quality traineeships and ways in which to overcome them; the advantages and disadvantages of digital traineeships; the experiences of trainees with disabilities as well as trainees who come from vulnerable backgrounds; obstacles to cross-border traineeships and ways in which to overcome them;
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Recalls that any discrimination based on grounds such as sex, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or social and economic origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age or sexual orientation must be prohibited; calls on the Member States to put in place specific measures to ensure this; 1a _________________ 1a Article 21 on Non-discrimination of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights http://fra.europa.eu/en/eu- charter/article/21-non- discrimination#:~:text=Any%20discrimin ation%20based%20on%20any,sexual%20 orientation%20shall%20be%20prohibited.
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Underlines that high-quality traineeships must be inclusive and accessible to all; stresses, in particular, the need to support persons with disabilities to have access to high-quality traineeships while ensuring an inclusive recruitment process and reducing barriers for people with disabilities; calls for a Union-wide definition of disability and an expanscalls on the Commission to accelerate the introduction of the EuropeanU disability card to facilitate the mobility of persons with disabilities and their ability to take up traineeship opportunities in other Member States; stresses the need for an accessible workplace for trainees withadapted to the needs of trainees with different types of disabilities; calls for a revision of Council Directive 2000/78/EC15to improve the article on reasonable accommodation in the workplace in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; calls for the unblocking of the adoption of a proposal for an anti-discrimination directive (COM(2008)0426); highlights the need for the unbundling of remuneration and disability support to allow for extra disability related costs for traineeships; highlights the importance of personal assistance to support persons with disabilities, with a view to supporting independent living; calls for more cooperation between employthe social partnersand the organisations representing people who are at greater risk of discrimination; _________________ 15 Council Directive 2000/78/EC of 27 November 2000 establishing a general framework for equal treatment in employment and occupation (OJ L 303, 2.12.2000, p. 16).
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Calls on the Member States to encourage more cross-border traineeships; in this regard, highlights the potential of EURES as a traineeship-matching and placement tool; calls on the Commission to further develop EURES by providing clearer information, in formats that are accessible to people with different types of disabilities, as well as better guidance and placement services to interested trainees wishing to take advantage of cross-border mobility; calls on the Members States to promote EURES among, inter alia, traineeship providers, young people, unemployed people and recent graduates; calls on the Commission and the Member States to facilitate the recognition and validation of knowledge, skills and competences acquired during the traineeship, in particular when it comes to cross-border recognition of skills; reiterates the fact that traineeships are a valid work experience and should be recognised as such in recruitment processes;
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Requests that the Commission submit on the basis of Article 153(2)(b) TFEU in conjunction with Article 153(1)(b) TFEU, a proposal for a framework dDirective on Quality Traineeships setting out minimum requirements for quality standards and adequate remuneration for traineeshipsopen labour market traineeships, traineeships in the context of ALMPs and traineeships that are a mandatory part of professional training, following the recommendations set out in Annex I hereto;
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Requests that the Commission submit a proposal to update the 2014 Council Recommendation on the basis of Article 292 TFEU, in conjunction with Articles 153 and 166 TFEU, following the recommendations set out in Annex II heretofor a decision of Parliament and of the Council on a Quality Framework for Traineeships on the basis of Article 166(4) TFEU, following the recommendations set out in Annex II hereto for traineeships undertaken with the aim of obtaining educational qualifications;