European Campaign for the Rights of Interns

The intern population is configured as a surrogate of the work contract, a “reserve army” of hundreds and thousands of workers without rights and a salary, or, at best, with meager “expenses covered”.

Given the clearly European scale of the phenomenon and the high mobility of interns, we intend to promote an initiative that is able to identify the weaknesses, contradictions, gaps and critical points of laws governing internships and apprenticeships in different European countries.

The initiative aims to contribute to the development of a common platform of economic and political demands that can be taken forward at European level by a coalition of associations, movements, and civil society groups, creating a transnational dialogue among those who are already fighting for a significant improvement of the conditions of internships.

The first steps of the initiative are promoted by European Alternatives, a civil society organization dedicated to promoting transnational politics and culture. European Alternatives believes that today’s challenges of democratic participation, social equality and cultural innovation cannot be effectively understood and addressed at national level.

However, the initiative wants to network and aims to build a platform which is not reducible to a specific association.

THE STEPS OF THE INITIATIVE

The website of the initiative will collect articles and interviews on the various legal frameworks that regulate internships in different European countries, and on the various counter-proposals that emerge from collectives, associations, and unions. A dedicated space enables all visitors to put forwards proposals for the improvement of internships, or vote the proposals they think the most valid. Finally, a participatory questionnaire will seek to establish an “identikit of the intern” in Europe.

Finally, we are currently working towards establishing a more scientific trans-european investigation able to map the situation of internships throughout Europe.

Planning meeting, April 7, Rome

Meeting for discussion with internship networks, trade unions, and collectives with the goal of discussing the possibility of carrying out policy initiatives at European level for a significant improvement in the regulation of internships.

Similar meetings will be held in April in Paris and London.

Conference, May 9, Bologna, in the context of Transeuropa Festival, the first trans-national festival held simultaneously in 12 European cities

A debate on the status of interns and the reality of the labour market for young generations in the European context, with participants from the world of trade unions, university, NGOs, as well as an active participation of associations and collectives. Several discussion tables, open to all participants, will be divided by subject (ie the function of the internship, working conditions, the norms that regulate internships, the role of institutions, political opportunities at a European level)

European Forum, May 14, London, in the context of Transeuropa Festival, the first trans-national festival held simultaneously in 12 European cities

During the Transnational Forum on Social and Labour RIghts in Europe, we are organising a participative roundtable with organizations and collectives from different European countries who are fighting for a significant improvement in the conditions of internships.

With participants from Italy, France, Germany, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Spain, and Britain, we will discuss the possibility of a European campaign with clear transnational demands for a regulation of internships at the EU level will be discussed.