One of fundamental rights in the European Union is free movement of persons and this right is applied also to pupils, young people and trainees. EU promotes youth access to the labour market, strengthening trainee, internship and apprenticeship status in following overall strategies, such as Lisbon strategy and Strategy 2020 and number of analytical documents.

European Parliament resolution of 6 July 2010 on promoting youth access to the labour market, strengthening trainee, internship and apprenticeship status (2009/2221(INI)) is taking many information and trends into consideration – such as:

• The economic crisis has caused a massive rise in unemployment rates in the EU Member States; whereas young people have been disproportionately affected by this trend
• There are few possibilities for young people to find permanent regular employment;
• Employers seem to be using traineeships and internships more frequently to replace regular employment
• Youth unemployment and underemployment impose heavy social and economic costs
• Transition from education to work and between jobs is a structural challenge for young people all over the EU; whereas apprenticeships have a largely positive impact on young people’s access to employment, especially if they enable the direct in-house acquisition of work skills and expertise

In this scope, the Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, Marianne Thyssen, said: "We want to make sure that young people learn the skills they need for work. Apprenticeships are the 'Gold Standard' in vocational education and training. Two out of three apprentices move straight into jobs after finishing their education”. EU Comission defines what makes apprenticeships shine. Once adopted, the framework will ensure that both learners and employers benefit from quality apprenticeships.

To assess the quality and effectiveness of an apprenticeship, the proposed Framework proposes seven criteria for learning and working conditions:

1. Written contract;
2. Learning outcomes;
3. Pedagogical support;
4. Workplace component;
5. Pay and/or compensation;
6. Social protection;
7. Work, health and safety conditions.

The Framework also proposes seven criteria for framework conditions:

1. Regulatory framework;
2. Involvement of social partners;
3. Support for companies;
4.  Flexible pathways and mobility;
5. Career guidance and awareness raising;
6. Transparency;
7. Quality assurance and graduate tracking.