Platform economy database
Database of initiatives and court cases in the EU
Eurofound’s platform economy database provides information on 443 initiatives and court cases that exist or have been implemented in relation to activities in the platform economy. The database was last updated in November 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.
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The database currently contains 443 entries and was last updated in November 2025.
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Germany
Lieferando, the German branch of the group Just Eat Takeaway, has announced the dismissal of 2000 permanent employees, corresponding to 20 percent of its total German workforce. The dismissals are a result of the company's decision to partially abandon its direct employment model and move towards a freelancing model.
This change comes shortly after the company defended its employment model as nearly "unique" in the market. However, rising competition from Uber Eats and Wolt, who primarily use freelancers, has pressured Lieferando to adapt. Initially, only 5% of orders will be handled by freelancers. A similar measure was taken by Lieferando in Austria, leading to the dismissal of between 600 and 966 couriers in June 2025.
With the platforms' business models converging, the company now faces the challenge of setting itself apart in other ways.
Lieferando, the Austrian branch of Just Eat Takeaway, is changing its operating model in Austria, moving away from employing its delivery drivers and shifting entirely to using freelance contractors. This …
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.
