Platform economy database
Database of initiatives and court cases in the EU
Eurofound’s platform economy database provides information on 386 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 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 386 entries and was last updated in February 2024.
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Spain
In Barcelona, Spain, professional association Elite Taxi has launched a public marketing campaign to convert platform ride hailing drivers (VTC) to become taxi drivers. The information campaign targets those working at platform companies Uber and Cabify, appealing to the better working conditions and pay on offer as a taxi driver. Slogans such as 'raise your hand if you want to leave precariousness' have been used. On 20 June 2023, 250 advertisements had been put up around the city on billboards. The posters include a contact number and email.
The Catalan Parliament's new VTC regulation, which came into force on 1 January 2023, means that VTCs are now restricted to limousines and passenger vans. By 2024, both VTC and taxi drivers will be subject to the same examination conditions, raising the bar of entry to becoming a VTC driver. By this time, VTCs will be limited to 800 vehicles, over 9,000 less than the metropolitan taxi fleet, greatly reducing job opportunities for VTC drivers. Further, a new public taxi app in Barcelona was also established in December 2022, making it easier for locals to book taxis. The new model means there is greater demand for taxis in the city, and Elité Taxi, the majority union in the Catalan capital which was instrumental in pushing for the new VTC regulation is encouraging VTC drivers to switch, claiming that taxi drivers wages are 30-40% higher while drivers work 20-30% fewer hours.
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.
