The quality of traineeships in the EU

This European Added Value Assessment, commissioned by the European Parliament's Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, seeks to provide relevant inputs for the Parliament’s legislative-initiative report, 'Quality traineeships in the EU' (2020/2005(INL)).

The research paper aims to estimate the European added value of a reinforced 'Quality Framework for Traineeships'. During a traineeship, the trainee can learn things that are useful professionally. However, socio-economic costs can arise if traineeships replace regular employment. Low-quality traineeships do not lead to significant productivity gains, and social costs can arise with unpaid traineeships limiting the career opportunities of those from disadvantaged backgrounds.