Press Release: EU Employment and Social Situation: Quarterly Review highlights advantages of traineeships; latest migration trends

Temporary contracts can be a good opportunity for a young person to get into the labour force in particular if they are linked to education or training (as is common in Germany and Austria), according to the European Commission's latest Employment and Social Situation Quarterly Review. However, when young temporary workers are on short-term contracts involuntarily (e.g. in Spain and Poland) there is a risk that they remain trapped in insecure working conditions. In the context of growing divergence in unemployment levels between Member States, the number of people wanting to move to another country has substantially increased but they still face barriers. The Review also notes the importance of quality childcare in mitigating inequalities at an early stage of life.