EU revises draft on gig workers’ rights

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM — The European Union (EU) recently revised its draft regulations that ensure better employment benefits for gig workers. 

Introduced by the EU executive in late 2021, the draft regulations were part of an effort to balance the playing field between traditional and online businesses.

The revised draft agreed upon by EU nations stipulates that companies will be regarded as employers if they fulfill three out of seven specified criteria. 

The criteria include supervising workers electronically, limiting workers’ choices in tasks and work hours, preventing third-party work, setting pay caps, determining appearance or conduct rules, and restricting subcontractors or substitutes.

The EU executive estimates that these new regulations would impact around 4.1 million out of the 28 million workers engaged by online platform companies throughout the 27-member European Union.

EU lawmakers suggested further amendments, advocating for indicative criteria for employment status, such as fixed salary, defined working hours, and employer supervision.

However, the proposed changes received criticism from major platform-based companies like Uber and Deliveroo.

“As many countries across Europe have demonstrated, there are better ways to uphold European social values without removing the independence and flexibility that most platform workers say they want,” said Uber Vice President Anabel Diaz Calderon.

Delivery Platforms Europe shared this viewpoint, arguing the proposal lacks a clear distinction between employment and self-employment and offers limited improvement for genuinely self-employed individuals.

The draft regulations are due for further discussion among EU countries, lawmakers, and the Commission.