Platform work database
Database of initiatives and court cases in the EU
Eurofound’s Platform Work Database provides information on 456 initiatives and court cases that exist or have been implemented in relation to activities in the platform economy. The database was last updated in May 2026 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 456 entries and was last updated in May 2026.
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Norway
On 24 February 2026, the Borgarting Court of Appeal (Borgarting lagmannsrett) delivered a landmark judgement in the case of Wolt Norway AS vs. three couriers (Case No. 25-094406ASD-BORG/02). Reversing a previous decision by the Oslo District Court, the majority of the Court of Appeal ruled that the workers are independent contractors, not employees. The core of the assessment is the degree of dependence and subordination—that is, how freely the couriers actually operate in relation to Wolt’s management and control. The court's decision rested on several key factors:
Operational Freedom: Workers have the total discretion to decide when and how much they work, even after logging into the platform.
Right of Refusal: Workers can decline assignments without providing reasons and without facing negative consequences for future task allocations.
Lack of Exclusivity: Workers are permitted to perform tasks for competing platforms simultaneously.
Provision of Equipment: Workers are responsible for providing their own essential tools, including transport, mobile phones, and clothing.
While the court acknowledged some level of platform control, it determined that such oversight did not exceed what is typical for independent service agreements. Consequently, the workers are not entitled to the statutory protections afforded to employees under the Working Environment Act, such as holiday pay, sick leave, or pension contributions.
The case was first heard by the Oslo District Court, which on 4 April 2025 ruled in favour of the couriers: they were considered employees. The District Court determined employment percentages and ordered Wolt to pay overtime compensation, holiday pay, holiday allowance, compensation for non-economic loss, and to retroactively include the couriers in the pension scheme. Wolt appealed, and the Court of Appeal completely reversed the outcome. Wolt was acquitted. Each party was ordered to bear their own legal costs in both instances.
This digital story presents headline findings on the working conditions and information needs of online platform workers across key areas: Who platform workers are; Where they operate geographically; Their working conditions and earnings; How algorithmic management impacts their work; Information needs about rights and protecting workers in the digital economy.
This report analyses the working conditions and information needs of online platform workers based on a survey of 3 830 workers across 15 EU Member States. Unlike existing research focused on on-location platform work, this study examines workers who provide services entirely online. The findings reveal a workforce that is predominantly male, of prime working age and highly educated, primarily delivering skilled professional services rather than microtasks.
Building on Eurofound’s established conceptual framework of the digital age, this concept paper examines how the unfolding artificial intelligence wave is set to transform not only the world of work and employment, but also the wider fabric of society, from the delivery and quality of public services to the production, dissemination and governance of information. The analysis is guided by four vectors of change – automation, augmentation, digitisation and platformisation – identified as the central drivers shaping this transformation. The concepts presented in this paper will inform Eurofound’s future research on artificial intelligence and algorithmic management.
Findings of a new Eurofound–ELA survey conducted in 15 Member States confirm the widespread use of intrusive algorithmic management practices in online platform work.
This working paper aims to provide an overview of the legal landscape of online platform work in the EU, focusing on a set of key issues relating to the rights and protections of online platform workers. Specifically, regulations concerning working conditions and social protection, the complexities of cross-border platform work, and regulations on algorithmic management, data privacy, and protection.
This article explores how algorithmic management operates, distinguishing between rule-based and AI-driven approaches, and examines how it automates key managerial functions such as planning, organising, staffing, directing and controlling. It also considers the implications for workers’ employment status, drawing on recent court rulings, and assesses its impact on working conditions, highlighting both potential benefits such as efficiency gains and risks including reduced autonomy, unfair treatment and privacy infringements.
