Strasbourg. Europe betrays its young people. Although 2022 is precisely the European year of young people. The European Parliament had the opportunity to free them from undeclared work, in the form of unpaid internships, but the House lost this opportunity by voting against the amendment calling for an effective and enforceable ban on traineeships and apprenticeships not remunerated “.
A passage, the one attached to the proposed amendment to the resolution on strengthening the role of young Europeans in employment and social recovery after the pandemic, which was not liked by the right-wing people who sit in Strasbourg.
The amendment, rejected with 377 votes against, 293 in favor, 26 abstentions, was scuttled by the popular (EPP), liberals (RE), conservatives (ECR) and sovereignists (ID) and a part of the non-members. To support the cause of the under 29s of all Europe socialists (S&D), Verdi, Sinistra (ex GUE) and the Italians of the 5 Star Movement who sit among the non-members.
Speaking of Italians, the tricolor troop at the Eurocamera falls apart. PD and M5S re-propose the government alliance at the European level, voting together. Forza Italia and Lega declare themselves against, Brothers of Italy abstain.
On the day when Europe moves away from its younger citizens, Italy moves away from its own. Certainly not a good sign at a time marked by pain, anger and the debate on fatal accidents at work suffered by young people recruited by companies as part of the school-work alternation path.
The European Parliament is not only betraying its young people, but also its former president, David Sassoli. As head of the European institution, Sassoli had expressed himself and spent himself personally to abolish any form of unpaid internship. “It is a battle for dignity”, he was able to articulate in October 2020, on the occasion of a conference hosted in the European Parliament on young people and work. “Recognizing the right to be paid is as important as the right to have a job: an internship is not enough to make a young person happy”. A message not received by today’s Chamber, which leaves the Member States free to implement the labor policies they deem most appropriate, and it is good to remember, in compliance with a subject, the employment policies, which fall under the exclusive competence of the Treaties. of governments.
In this regard, the resolution on young people and orphaned post-pandemic resumption of the banning of unpaid internships, insists on the need to “guarantee real job opportunities rather than poor quality internships or continuous training courses”. A reference that seems to be addressed to the boot. The European Court of Auditors has access to the spotlight on the country system, denouncing its ineffectiveness in the use of EU funds for young people. In Italy, the Youth Guarantee mainly served to offer internships: 54% of the proposals, against a European average of 13%.