Platform economy database
Database of initiatives and court cases in the EU
Eurofound’s platform economy database provides information on 386 initiatives and court cases that exist or have been implemented in relation to activities in the platform economy. The database was last updated in February 2024 and provides metadata for each entry, such as geographical scope, year, type of initiative, actors involved, sector and companies concerned. Initiatives include legal instruments such as legislative changes or court decisions, as well as voluntary interventions undertaken by different stakeholders to address issues around platform work.
Search
The database currently contains 386 entries and was last updated in February 2024.
Tag
Updated
Tag
Active
France
A multi-party agreement between organisations representing self-employed workers (AVF, FNAE, CFTC, UNSA) and organisations representing platforms, such as Uber or Caocao (API, FFTPR) was signed on 18 January 2023 in France. The agreement establishes a minimum pay per ride of €7.65 net, regardless of duration or distance travelled and applies to all platforms and journeys.
The agreement on minimum pay per ride represents the first agreement in the sector, covering platform workers. According to its preamble, its aim is to contribute to "an environment that encourages the development of a new model of employment that is both secure and attentive to drivers’ concerns". It also outlines an annual review to take into account the economic situation.
The following recent changes to this initiative have been recorded.
On 20 April 2023, the Government announced a second agreements that establishes a level of pay of €11.75 'for each hour of activity by the delivery person'. The level of pay is slightly above the French minimum wage which is €11.27 in April 2023. The announcement also includes an agreement on app de-activations which specifies the procedure to be followed in the event of worker's breach of his contractual obligations. The procedure includes an obligation to inform the delivery person, the establishment of procedures prior to de-activation of accounts, the application of the principle according to which both parties must be heard prior to a decision as well as procedures for appealing against a decision. The agreement reaffirms the obligation of human intervention in each deactivation procedure.
The platform economy is one of those moving targets, which, despite receiving increasing media and policy attention, has proven difficult to regulate. Given the heterogeneity of employment relationships, business models, types of platform work and cross-border issues, this is not surprising.
Technological change is accelerating as the capacity of electronic devices to digitally store, process and communicate information expands. Digitalisation is transforming the EU economy and labour markets: nearly one-third of EU workplaces are categorised as highly digitalised. What are the implications of the digital revolution for employment and work?
The rapid rise of the platform economy has led to a marked transformation of European labour markets, and existing regulatory frameworks and voluntary initiatives have yet to catch up. While platform work offers opportunities for workers and employers and potentially contributes to innovation, economic growth and competitiveness in the EU, it has been criticised from the beginning because of the poor employment and working conditions often experienced by workers.
While 2020 may come to be seen as the year platform work gathered pace and started to go mainstream – thanks in large part to COVID-19 containment measures sparking an increase in food and grocery delivery – 2021 could be the year that regulation of platform work is set in motion.
