Platform economy database
Database of initiatives and court cases in the EU
Eurofound’s platform economy database provides information on 411 initiatives and court cases that exist or have been implemented in relation to activities in the platform economy. The database was last updated in March 2025 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.
Tag
Active
Italy
On 2 July 2015, the Court of Milan confirmed the interim injunction obtained by the Taxi Drivers Association of May 2015. Several consumers' associations joined the Taxi Drivers Association in the proceedings.
A decision by a panel ("Collegio") of the Specialised Enterprise Section ("Sezione Specializzata Impresa") of the Court of Milan (Tribunale di Milano) rejected the appeal lodged by the Uber group companies against the initial injunction.
The claimants ("Gruppo Taxi" - various taxi companies, cooperatives, individual drivers, unions, and trade associations) sought an injunction against the Uber group ("Gruppo Uber") regarding the UberPop service. Their motivation was that UberPop constituted unfair competition under Article 2598 n. 3 of the Italian Civil Code. They argued Uber organised a service equivalent to licensed taxis but used drivers who violated public transport regulations (lacking licenses, professional certificates, regulated tariffs, specific insurance etc.). This allowed Uber to gain an unfair competitive advantage by operating at significantly lower costs and prices, thereby diverting customers and causing economic harm (loss of earnings, damage to image) to the regulated taxi sector. The urgency was increased by the ongoing Expo 2015 event in Milan.
The court confirmed the ban primarily because:
Unfair Competition: UberPop operated by violating essential public transport laws (like licensing, tariffs, safety checks) that applied to taxis. This gave Uber an unlawful cost advantage, constituting unfair competition against compliant taxi operators. Uber's Direct Role: The court rejected Uber's claim of being just a neutral app, finding it actively organised the transport service (recruiting drivers, setting price mechanisms, managing payments), making it responsible for the operation. Public Safety Concerns: The lack of regulatory oversight for UberPop drivers and vehicles posed significant public safety risks (regarding driver suitability, vehicle condition, and insurance for commercial transport), which the court deemed paramount over arguments of consumer choice or cost savings. Urgency: The rapid expansion of the service created an immediate risk of irreparable harm to the licensed taxi sector's market share and goodwill.
On 7 April 2017, the Court of Rome the court ordered a halt to Uber's services across Italy, specifically including Uber Black and potentially other services like Lux, Suv, Van, …
On 1 March 2017, the Court of Turin banned Uber's 'Ubepop's service as it found it in breach of competition law. The ruling took into account the precautionary measures of …
On 25 May 2015, the Court of Milan approved an interim injunction against Uber's 'UberPop' service, which matches demand for car rides with providers owning private cars. This was in …
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.
