The last procedural step in the adoption of the Platform Work Directive was achieved today, with the Council giving its final green light. Member states now have two years to transpose the ground-breaking legislation, which clarifies the status of platform workers and improves their working conditions.
The Party of European Socialists (PES) celebrates this success for workers and commends European Commissioner Nicolas Schmit, the S&D Group and in particular MEP Elisabetta Gualmini, and the Spanish and Belgian Presidencies of the Council for making the directive a reality.
PES President Stefan Löfven said:
“On paper this may be a procedural step. But it is also a moment of hope for platform workers across Europe. As a Union, today we push back on exploitative practices.
“Member States now have two years to ensure a clear status for platform workers, either as employees or as truly self-employed. This will put an end to the grey zone some platforms have exploited to escape their responsibility towards their de facto employees.
“This is a victory for socialists and democrats. But more than that, it is a victory in the fight for decent working conditions for all Europeans.
“The directive was introduced thanks to the strong commitment of European Commissioner Nicolas Schmit to making the platform economy fairer for workers. In the Commission, Council and Parliament, socialists pushed hard to pass this directive in the face of heavy lobbying by the platforms and strong opposition from liberal, conservative and far right MEPs and governments.”
Alongside a clear status, the directive will also create new rights for platform workers who receive their orders from an algorithm, in particular the right to contest these decisions and have it reviewed by a person.
Alongside the Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages, the Platform Work Directive represents major progress on Social Europe under the 2019-2024 mandate.
The PES will closely monitor how each Member State transposes the directive in their own law and will continue fighting for quality jobs and good working conditions for all workers across the EU.
Timeline of the Platform Work Directive
September 2017: After over a year of research and exchanges at technical and political level, the PES Social Europe Network (Pervenche Berès PS FR, S&D) publishes its report on Workers’ rights and social progress in the digital economy.
September 2017: PES President Stanishev, Nicolas Schmit (EPSCO Minister, Luxembourg) and Pervenche Berès (S&D) write to all PES Prime ministers to raise awareness on workers rights in the digital economy.
July 2018: PES EPSCO Ministerial meeting and Social Europe Network active on the topic of platform work
May 2019: PES Spitzenkandidat, Frans Timmermans brings the question of platform work in the elections campaign debate, asking “Is a teenager on a bike delivering food for an online platform an entrepreneur?”
October 2019: PES ministers declaration on workers rights in the digital economy
October 2021: PES EPSCO Ministers keep pushing for a directive
December 2021: Commissioner Nicolas Schmit publishes a Commission proposal for a directive on improving working conditions of persons working through digital labour platforms
December 2022: EPSCO Council blocks attempts by the Czech presidency and the FR government to water down the Directive.
December 2022: the European Parliament’s EMPL committee gives greenlight to a report on the Directive by MEP Elisabetta Gualmini.
February 2023: After an unusual request by a group of 95 EPP and ECR MEP to put the Committee’s report to a plenary vote – an attempt to derail the process – the European Parliament plenary confirms the rapporteur’s mandate
December 2023: Trilogue agreement reached (S&D Elisabetta Gualmini)
December 2023: Directive blocked by several EPP and Renew Member States, despite efforts of Spanish Presidency
February 2024: Council (under the Belgian Presidency and Minister Pierre Yves Dermagne) and the Parliament (S&D Elisabetta Gualmini) reach a provisional agreement on platform work
March 2024: EPSCO Council confirms the provisional agreement under Belgian Presidency (Minister Pierre Yves Dermagne- PS BE)
April 2024: European Parliament Plenary votes in favour (S&D Elisabetta Gualmini)
October 2024: final vote in favour in the Council
2026: deadline for transposition into national law
