Nicosia, Cyprus. Peo’s youth office warned on Thursday that a government shift on internship regulations could entrench exploitation of students and young workers, urging the immediate submission of long-delayed legislation. It said all prerequisites for national legislation have already been completed.
Call for immediate national legislation
Peo said the views of all parties involved, including students, pupils, trade unions, employers, the government and parliament, have been heard. It added that the government has set up a special technical committee and held successive meetings with the House labour committee.
Minister cited European-level process
Peo said the new labour minister told the House labour committee that the government does not intend to submit a bill at this stage and will instead await the completion of processes at the European level for a European directive, after which it would return to national legislation.
Peo described this as a “clear backtrack,” stating that discussion at the European level was known and dated and had not previously been cited as grounds for delaying national legislation.
Concerns over continued exploitation
The organisation said young workers and students who must complete internships to obtain a professional licence had expected, after repeated postponements, that a bill would be submitted by the end of 2025. It said they are now being told that exploitation will continue indefinitely, along with grey areas surrounding the internship regime.
Peo said employers were the only ones who insisted that a European directive should be awaited before any national regulation, and that they benefit from delay and the continuation of the current situation. It added that this is not the first time the government has aligned with the position and tactics of employers.
Proposal for later adjustments
Peo urged the government to submit the bill without further delay, as it has repeatedly pledged. It said that when and if procedures are completed at the European level, any necessary adjustments could be made to ensure harmonisation.
The organisation said student interns are workers who produce work and profit, often without remuneration and without basic labour rights, and are subject to systematic exploitation.
What steps do you think should be included in an internship framework to protect student interns’ labour rights?