Platform economy database
Database of initiatives and court cases in the EU
Eurofound’s platform economy database provides information on 452 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 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 452 entries and was last updated in February 2026.
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On 27 January 2026, the Amsterdam Court of Appeal ruled in the long-running dispute between trade union FNV and Uber over whether Uber drivers should be treated as employees or as self-employed contractors.
FNV argued that drivers operate under Uber’s authority and should therefore fall under the Taxi collective agreement. Uber, supported by some drivers, maintained that they work as independent entrepreneurs.
A lower court had previously found that the drivers were employees (Amsterdam District Court Ruling). On appeal, the court applied the criteria developed by the Dutch Supreme Court in the Deliveroo judgment. In 2025, the Supreme Court clarified that no single factor takes precedence in determining employment status and that entrepreneurship must be given full weight in the overall assessment.
Applying that guidance, the Court of Appeal concluded that the drivers concerned showed a strong degree of entrepreneurship and therefore did not have employment contracts. The court pointed to factors such as drivers’ investments in their own vehicles, their freedom to set working hours, their discretion in accepting or rejecting rides, and their exposure to financial risks. It also noted that many drivers work across several platforms at once, which it saw as further evidence of independence.
Importantly, the court stressed that classification depends on the specific circumstances of each individual. Some Uber drivers could still qualify as employees if their situation differs. The ruling underlines that employment status cannot be determined through a uniform approach, even within a single platform.
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.
