European Parliament vote on call for end to unpaid internships - quote from Kim van Sparrentak

Tomorrow the European Parliament will vote on a resolution on Empowering Youth: post-pandemic employment and social recovery. The resolution includes a call for EU rules on internships and describes the impact that unemployment, climate change, housing insecurity and isolation have  for young people’s mental health. The Greens/EFA Group has proposed an amendment to go even further and introduce an EU-wide ban on unpaid internships. The results of the vote are expected first thing Thursday morning. 

Kim van Sparrentak MEP, Greens/EFA Member of the Employment and Social Affairs Committee, comments:  

“The era of working for experience must end, if you work you should get paid. We can no longer tolerate a situation where young people can only afford to start their lives on the labour market if their parents support them or if they take on debt. Young people need to be taken seriously, which doesn’t happen when their labour and their skills are being exploited.

“Young people have had to put their lives on hold for the last two years of this pandemic, the least we could do is ensure that they have a fairer future. That’s why it’s essential that the Parliament votes in favour of this call to support young people's futures. Now we call on the Commission to come out this year with a proposal for a ban on unpaid internships across Europe.”

More:
The Greens/EFA Group are running a campaign to support young people and ensure everyone has equal access to decent jobs at the start of their careers.