press release

WEC-Europe calls for correct classification of digital labour platforms and platform service providers

The World Employment Confederation-Europe (WEC-Europe), the voice of the private employment services industry in Europe, organised an event titled ‘It’s more than a gig! A stakeholder conference on the EU proposal for a Directive on platform work in collaboration with Prism’emploi, its French national federation member.

Published on 18th February 2022

During the event, the private employment services industry urged EU legislators to develop an appropriate regulatory framework for workers and businesses that can deliver quality digital labour platform services while respecting the variety of platform work and national environments in EU Member States.

Presenting WEC-Europe’s position on the EU’s proposal on platform work during the event,Herman Nijns, WEC-Europe President, said that: “While we strongly support the European Commission’s proposal to regulate digital labour platforms in a rapidly changing world of work, we are concerned that the proposal’s one-size-fits-all approach could undermine business models and the correct classification of people based on their actual employment status. In a labour market characterised by a wide diversity of forms of work and business models providing services, we should not embrace a narrow view of digital labour platforms and people working through them. European legislators must address regulatory gaps when it comes to the correct classification of digital service providers and employment status to ensure a level-playing field amongst labour market intermediaries and social protection for all individuals operating through them.”

Clarity regarding employment status is an essential component to improving working conditions and social protection for people providing work through digital labour platforms.However, WEC-Europe is concerned that the proposal’s current provisions could lead to the potential misclassification of workers because it fails to consider the immense diversity in platform work in Europe.

Representatives of the private employment services industry also argued that the services they provide are a comprehensive and well-regulated form of employment. People working through digital labour platforms are either workers or self-employed. There is no need for a third status.

Furthermore, and although the private employment services industry is fully supportive of the need for transparency, it questions whether specific provisions on automated decision-making systems are necessary given the existence of the EU Act on Artificial Intelligence and the General Data Protection Regulation.

Providing the event’s closing remarks, French Minister for European Affairs, Clément Beaune, outlined the Presidency’s priorities when it comes to platform work and the determination of workers’ employment status. He stated that France will prioritise files aiming to protect worker rights with a focus on both securing minimal pay and supporting the rights of people on platforms and the many workers who were on the frontlines of the pandemic crisis.

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