Platform economy database
Database of initiatives and court cases in the EU
Eurofound’s platform economy database provides information on 389 initiatives and court cases that exist or have been implemented in relation to activities in the platform economy. The database was last updated in June 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 389 entries and was last updated in June 2024.
Tag
Active
France
On 28 September 2021, the French National Assembly ratified a government decree on collective representation for platform workers. This foresees that as of 2022, drivers and couriers working for platforms can hold trade union elections. Furthermore, it includes the establishment of the Autorité des relations sociales des plateformes d’emploi (ARPE), an authority for regulating social relations on employment platforms. The authority is responsible for holding the union elections and is financed by a tax paid by the platforms. Overall, this regulatory change is expected to establish the ‘conditions for a structured and organised social dialogue’ and therefore to safeguard the working conditions and rights of platform workers.
According to the decree, social dialogue for platform workers is strengthened without necessarily changing their employment status. This aspect has been subject to criticism in France as it is blamed for institutionalising the so-called ‘uberisation’ of work through the institutionalisation of a ‘third status’ of employment. As an alternative, others have argued that efforts should be made to recognise workers as employees and to shift the burden of proof for the employment status from workers to platforms.
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.
