Platform economy database
Database of initiatives and court cases in the EU
Eurofound’s platform economy database provides information on 300 initiatives and court cases that exist or have been implemented in relation to activities in the platform economy. The database was last updated in February 2023 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 300 entries and was last updated in February 2023.
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Lithuania
In September 2019, an amendment to the Road Transport Code was approved in Lithuania to regulate the activities of couriers including platform couriers. From 1 July 2020, permits for couriers will be issued by the Lithuanian Transport Safety Administration.
The amendment followed a series of detainments of illegal couriers. The couriers were operating via a company that only officially recruited a small part of its drivers in order to avoid paying taxes. Many of the illegal workers were migrants who were supported with residence and work permits, accommodation, vehicles and training by the transportation service platforms. Some of the workers were not aware that they were working illegally. Besides tax evasion, this situation raised concerns over passenger safety since the drivers were working long hours in order to increase their incomes. In order to enhance control over fraudulent practices, the legal amendment requires drivers to apply for their permits at the Lithuanian Transport Safety Administration instead of at the municipality.
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.
