Platform economy database
Database of initiatives and court cases in the EU
Eurofound’s platform economy database provides information on 403 initiatives and court cases that exist or have been implemented in relation to activities in the platform economy. The database was last updated in December 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.
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The database currently contains 403 entries and was last updated in December 2024.
In February 2024, the Finnish delivery company Wolt won a landmark court case where its couriers were ruled to be entrepreneurs, not employees.
The administrative court in Hämeenlinna assessed the working relationship between Wolt and found that key factors defining an employee-employer relationship were not present. Specifically, the court noted…
On 01 July 2023, a new amendment on the Employment Contracts Act in Finland which aims to establish new criteria to distinguish between self-employment and contractual employment relationships has come into force.
This legislative amendment has originated in a proposal prepared by a sub-group on promoting employment of the Ministry of Economic Aff…
Itset is a working group comprising the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK), the Finnish Confederation of Professionals (STTK), the Confederation of Unions for Professional and Managerial Staff (Akava) and the Union of Journalists in Finland. The group seeks to represent the interests of self-employed workers. It also seeks to inclu…
The Labour Council of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment stated on 15 October 2020 that the food couriers of Wolt and Foodora, the two biggest employers in the food delivery sector in Finland, are to be considered employees instead of entrepreneurs. Although the Council statement is not a binding decision on the interpretation of the …
Service Union United (PAM) is a Finnish trade union representing workers in private services sectors, founded in 2000. It is a member of two global umbrella organisations for services sector unions, UNI Global Union (UNI)and International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations (IUF). PAM …
11 records found
| Date | Title | Tags |
|---|---|---|
| 4 July 2023 | Guide for Safer and More Secured Food Courier Work
Initiative | On-location platform-determined routine work |
|
| 6 January 2022 | Platform (Wolt) sued by Service Union United (PAM)
Initiative | On-location platform-determined routine work |
|
| 6 January 2022 | Rulings on employment statuses by the Finnish Workers’ Compensation Centre (TVK)
Initiative | On-location platform-determined routine work |
|
| 5 March 2021 | Foodora’s (lacking) COVID-19 support for riders in Finland
Initiative | On-location platform-determined routine work |
|
| 5 March 2021 | Wolt’s COVID-19 support for riders
Initiative | On-location platform-determined routine work |
|
| 3 February 2021 | Wolt publishes algorithmic transparency report
Initiative | On-location platform-determined routine work |
|
| 1 February 2021 | Suomen Yrittäjät
Initiative | No platform work typology |
|
| 1 February 2021 | Jakamistalousinfo.fi (Sharing Economy Information)
Initiative | No platform work typology |
|
| 22 January 2021 | SE (Societas Europaea, European Company) Works Council Delivery Hero
Initiative | On-location platform-determined routine work |
|
| 21 January 2021 | Justice4Couriers
Initiative | On-location platform-determined routine work |
|
| 1 March 2020 | Wolt and Qover
Initiative | On-location platform-determined routine work |
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.
