Young people should receive the same pay and social security benefits as other workers, including the same minimum wage, which is still not the case in all Member States.

According to the European Economic and Social Committee, the EU and the Member States need to put an end to discriminatory practices against young people, such as low youth minimum wages and unpaid traineeships. Young people also need to be more directly involved in designing policies, especially those affecting them.

These demands, put forward by the EESC in two opinions adopted at its plenary session on 15 June, coincided with the European Parliament's adoption of a report on quality traineeships which called on the Commission to propose a directive that would make it illegal to employ interns and trainees for longer periods without pay.

"Too many young people subject to lower minimum wages or undertaking unpaid internships have a negative experience of the labour market. We cannot be blind to this reality in Member States today," said Michael McLoughlin, rapporteur of the opinion The equal treatment of young people in the labour market.

"Young people have the right to be listened to and to act," said Nicoletta Merlo, rapporteur of the opinion Cooperation on youth, requested by the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU, which aims to give fresh impetus to the EU youth agenda.

"Their participation must be encouraged throughout the whole process of designing, implementing and following up public policies, which have to stress the importance of the role of youth organisations and take into consideration the new informal ways in which young people get together, cooperate and engage in dialogue," Ms Merlo said.

The EESC has asked for young people to have the same working conditions and employment benefits, social security and social assistance as other workers. Under the equal pay for equal work principle, they should be entitled to the same minimum wage as other workers. This is currently not the case in some countries that have established separate, lower minimum wages for youth, despite the fact that 1 in 4 young workers are minimum-wage earners, compared to 1 in 10 other workers.

The EESC's new president, Oliver Röpke, has put great emphasis on strengthening dialogue with young people and involving them in policymaking.

In a discussion with youth organisations held during the plenary session, Mr Röpke said: "We are committed to a more inclusive model that puts young people at the heart of the engagement process. I have made it my political priority to open the doors of the EESC to young people, and I don't intend to stop at EU borders. I want to reach out to youth organisations from candidate countries as well."

The discussion saw the participation of representatives of the European Youth Forum, Generation Climate Europe and ReDI School of Digital Integration. (ll)