World Interns' Day: how internships work in Europe
Comparison between European regulations on paid and unpaid internships, with the proposed 2024 EU directive
Quick Look
The article compares the rules on internships in France, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Portugal and Luxembourg, reporting the 2023 Eurobarometer data and the 2024 EU directive proposal to improve the conditions of interns and combat internships that mask ordinary working relationships.
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Why It Matters
The article describes the different national regulations on internships in France, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Portugal and Luxembourg, and reports the 2023 Eurobarometer survey according to which 78% of young people had done at least one internship and 68% had found a job after the experience. The European Commission presented a proposal for a directive in 2024 to improve the conditions of trainees, but the legislative path shows divergences between Parliament and Council.
In France the rules are more stringent. Internships must be included in an education or training course: extracurricular ones outside of a recognized training course are therefore prohibited. When the internship exceeds two months, the obligation of a minimum remuneration is triggered, which in 2026 is equal to 4.50 euros per hour, approximately 630 euros per month for a full-time activity.
In Germany, however, the main distinction concerns the nature of the internship. The compulsory ones included in the study courses can be unpaid, while for many voluntary internships lasting more than three months the national minimum wage applies, barring specific exceptions.
In Spain, academic internships can be unpaid, but from 2024 students undertaking unpaid internships will also be included, under certain conditions, in the social security system. The case of work training contracts is different, which provides for remuneration and specific guarantees.
In the Netherlands, internships linked to studies prevail, for which there is no general obligation to pay. In other states, such as Portugal and Luxembourg, compulsory forms of remuneration are provided for certain categories of trainees.
According to a 2023 Eurobarometer survey, 78% of young people interviewed had done at least one internship and 68% had found a job after this experience. But the possibility of working for free continues to raise questions about the accessibility of internships: those who cannot count on the financial support of their family risk being excluded. To address these inequalities, in 2024 the European Commission presented a proposal for a directive to improve conditions for trainees and combat internships used to disguise ordinary employment relationships. However, the legislative process has highlighted profound divergences between Parliament and Council, especially on the scope of application of the new rules. The central question remains open: ensuring that the internship is truly a training opportunity and not a tool to replace paid work with low-cost labor.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The EU Traineeships Directive will be subject to further negotiations between Parliament and the Council before possible approval.
Likely · Within months
Open Questions
- What is the exact scope of the proposed EU Traineeships Directive?
- When could the directive be definitively approved?
- What will be the sanctions for internships that disguise ordinary work relationships?
