The Employment and Social Affairs Committee has proposed changes to new EU rules on traineeships, in a report adopted on Tuesday by 42 votes to nine, and with six abstentions. The objective is to ensure proper working conditions for trainees and to dissuade companies from disguising regular jobs as traineeships.

Types of traineeship

The Employment Committee MEPs have set out a clear definition of what constitutes a traineeship, stressing that it should be for a limited time and involve entry-level work, facilitating the transition from education to employment. They want all traineeships to be included under the new rules, except for mandatory traineeships that are an integral part of studies or apprenticeships.

No contract, no traineeship

Employment MEPs stress that all prospective trainees should receive a written traineeship agreement describing pay, tasks, learning objectives, rights and obligations, and the duration of the traineeship. Traineeships should last no longer than…