Agreement on new rules to enhance working conditions for EU gig workers has been reached before the upcoming elections in Europe, as member states officially adopted the directive in Brussels on Monday (11 March).
“This is a significant day for gig workers [totaling around 28 million in the EU],” stated EU commissioner for Jobs Nicholas Schmit on X (formerly Twitter).
“The new EU rules will provide platform workers with additional rights and protections while not hindering the platforms’ ability to grow,” he added.
This legislation was initially suggested in December 2021 and has faced strong opposition since the Parliament and Council established their positions last year.
Despite reaching provisional agreements twice, in December 2023 and February 2024, both deals fell through shortly after.
In the most recent failed vote, four member states (France, Germany, Estonia, and Greece) formed a blocking minority by not supporting the compromise text due to concerns about the legal presumption of employment, which could potentially reclassify 5.5 million workers from ‘self-employed’ to ’employees’.
However, on Monday afternoon, Greece and Estonia changed their stance and decided to back the draft text, enabling the Belgian EU Presidency to finalize an agreement.
Only France voted against, while Germany abstained.
This development comes as EU institutions prepare for the European Parliament elections in June, causing a delay in any pending legislation.
“The concerns persist,” stated Greek labor minister Domna Michailidou, while also mentioning, “Given our desire to work in a spirit of compromise, we will support the directive.”
Under the new rules, member states will be responsible for establishing a presumption of employment in their legal systems, which could be triggered by a platform worker, a representative, or a national authority claiming misclassification.
Competent authorities will then assess whether there is sufficient evidence of control and direction, and if an employment relationship is identified, gig platforms will be obligated to prove otherwise.
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The directive will also establish the initial regulations for AI in the workplace, introducing more transparency to algorithm management and enhanced data protection for workers like food delivery or taxi drivers.
For the industry group representing Bolt and Uber, Move EU, the current text “fails to achieve a harmonized approach across the EU, creating even more legal uncertainty for ride-hailing drivers,” according to its chairman Aurélien Pozzana in a statement.
“Uber is now urging EU countries to implement national laws that offer platform workers the necessary protections, while maintaining the independence they desire,” stated an Uber spokesperson.
The compromise text still requires formal approval by the parliament, with a vote scheduled in a plenary session in April.
Once approved, member states will have a two-year period to transpose the legislation into national law.
