France: facilitating apprentice mobility

Removing obstacles to mobility 
The law for Erasmus for apprenticeships legislated in late 2023 aims to remove obstacles to long-term apprentice mobility by giving employers and apprentices an opportunity to choose how to manage mobility as part of their contractual relationship. 

Previously, for short periods of mobility of up to 4 weeks, the employer had a choice between ‘secondment’, with the employer retaining responsibility for working conditions, pay and social protection, or putting the apprenticeship contract ‘on standby’, with responsibilities transferred to the host company, in accordance with local rules. For periods longer than 4 weeks, the contract was systematically ‘placed on standby’. The 2023 law specifies that from now on, there is a right of option between these two statuses, regardless of the mobility duration. The choice is determined by the contractual relationship between the employer and the apprentice. The aim is to provide greater flexibility and adaptability in managing apprenticeship mobility, allowing both employers and apprentices to select the most suitable arrangement based on their specific needs and circumstances.
In addition, the law still requires a stand-by or secondment agreement to be signed for the periods of apprentice mobility abroad. However, the host company is not obliged to sign the agreement in certain circumstances set out in a decree currently being prepared. This will enable a more streamlined process for apprentice mobility abroad by reducing administrative burdens in cases where the host company is not required to sign the agreement, provided specific conditions are met. 

The legislation streamlines reallocation and harmonisation of joint funds for apprenticeship training schemes, ensured by skills operators (Opérateurs de Compétences; OPCO, organised by professional sectors and managed by social partners). It states that OPCO must redistribute the social security contributions paid for the apprenticeship periods spent abroad, to private apprenticeship training centres (Centres de formation d’ Apprentis, CFA). A draft decree is being drafted to regulate levels of reimbursement. The aim is to ensure equitable redistribution of social security contributions, fostering financial support for apprenticeship training periods spent abroad.

Agreements for cross-border mobility

France and Germany signed a bilateral agreement in 2023 to introduce cross-border apprenticeships; its integration into their respective national legislations is nearing completion in 2024. This initiative, which expresses the political will of both States and was enshrined in the French Labor Code in 2022, is now on about to be implemented. Once the legal arrangements are in place – expected to be finalised by the end of the year – apprentices from both countries will be able to complete their practical training in a company across the border. By enabling young people to acquire skills in demand by companies, this agreement strengthens the employability prospects of young people in the Franco-German cross-border labour market.

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Apprenticeships: France and Germany cross-border apprenticeship agreement (in French)Erasmus for apprenticeships: arrangements for the entry into force of the law aimed at facilitating the international mobility of work-linked training students (in French)