Platform economy database
Database of initiatives and court cases in the EU
Eurofound’s platform economy database provides information on 443 initiatives and court cases that exist or have been implemented in relation to activities in the platform economy. The database was last updated in November 2025 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 443 entries and was last updated in November 2025.
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Poland
Zentrale is a Polish collective of couriers that focuses on advocating for the rights of workers within the gig economy. Originating as a courier cooperative in Warsaw during the 2020 pandemic, the group has since shifted its focus to addressing the working conditions of couriers for online platforms.
The organization's main goal is to improve what it views as unfavourable working conditions for couriers, who, according to Zentrale, often lack basic workers' rights despite being integral to the platforms' profits. Zentrale also seeks to inform consumers about the labor dynamics involved in the services they use.
A central concern for Zentrale is the 'platformization' of the Polish labor market. The collective notes that companies such as Wolt, Uber, and Glovo have introduced new work models that, while offering flexibility, often do not include provisions for minimum wage, social and health insurance, or coverage for work-related costs.
Zentrale has drawn attention to the use of 'fleet partners', intermediary firms that act as the official employers of couriers. According to Zentrale, this setup allows platforms to manage work assignments, order distribution, and pay, while the intermediary partners handle the formal employment contracts. Zentrale reports that these partners sometimes use opaque contracts, such as 'rental agreements', where couriers lease their own vehicles back to the partner.
The collective also works to bring transparency to the operational methods of platforms, including the use of algorithms to set pay rates, which are often not clearly explained to workers. Additionally, Zentrale reports on safety issues and risks that platform drivers and couriers may encounter.
To assist workers, Zentrale offers resources like an earnings calculator and information on legal rights. The group holds regular open meetings in Warsaw providing a space for couriers to connect and discuss their experiences. They also create informational materials, including a brochure titled 'Platformizing Poland: New Fronts of Combat in the Digital Economy', to educate both workers and the public.
On an international scale, Zentrale collaborates with groups like the International Alliance of App-based Transport Workers (IAATW) to address the concerns of couriers working for global platforms.
The International Alliance of App-based Transport Workers (IAATW) is a global federation of driver and courier organizations. It was established in January 2020 by representatives from sixteen countries with the …
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.
