Platform economy database
Database of initiatives and court cases in the EU
Eurofound’s platform economy database provides information on 400 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 400 entries and was last updated in December 2024.
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Italy
The Italian region of Lazio drafted a manifesto of the ‘Fundamental rights in the gig-economy’ and new legislation titled ‘Proposal for a regional law on standards for the protection and security of digital workers’. The new law was adopted after a public consultation phase and addresses wages of platform workers, transparency of platforms’ operations as well as health, safety and social security aspects of platform work. The law lays out that platforms are responsible for accounting for health and safety at work by providing protective devices and trainings. Digital platforms are furthermore obliged to insure the workers against accidents at work and occupational diseases. In accordance with national legislation, the digital workers have the right to social security protection. Remuneration of workers via platforms is determined to be based on working time in order to ensure that workers receive payment according to the minimum hourly rate affirmed by the collective labour agreements. Also, the new law announces the establishment of a council as a permanent consultation body in relation to policies on digital work and a regional register for digital workers and platforms.
Further information: https://www.consiglio.regione.lazio.it/consiglio-regionale/?vw=leggiregionalidettaglio&id=9349&sv=vigente
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.
