* : ETUC assessment of the Council proposal of the Traineeship Directive

Brussels, 14 November 2024

• To: Social Attaches - Permanent Representation 

Dear Members of the Social questions working party,

I am reaching out to share our assessment of the recent proposal for the Traineeship Directive put forth by the Hungarian Presidency. As representative of workers and defenders of fair opportunities and quality jobs for young people, we urge you as policymakers to redirect this proposal toward real change, by considering the arguments and proposals on the text and we hope you can defend youth and workers' rights.  

While we recognize that certain developments in the proposal show positive progress, we have concerns regarding its limited scope, which may restrict the Directive’s potential impact at the national level.

In particular, we are concerned about the exclusion of traineeships in the framework of Active Labour Market Policies from the Directive's scope.
This omission could create significant loopholes, especially considering that these policies are often aimed at NEETs (young people not in education, employment, or training). This group urgently needs quality opportunities to build a stable future, not more precarity. Without a more comprehensive scope, we risk missing an opportunity to provide the necessary safeguards and support for these young people.

We have attached a document with specific amendments and explanations, and we hope you will find time to review it thoroughly. We believe that these suggestions could strengthen the Directive’s reach and impact, and we would appreciate your consideration of them in your continued work on this dossier.

Together with Lucie Susova, ([email protected] ) our Advisor on this topic, we remain available for any further discussions or clarifications you may need.

Thank you for your attention and dedication to this important issue.

All the best,

Tea Jarc
Confederal Secretary