Gig Economy: No deal on Directive

The Belgian presidency of the Council of Ministers was unable to get sufficient support to get the Directive on the Status of Platform Workers Mark II agreed by member governments.

Why it matters: Lack of support from France, Germany, Greece, and Estonia blocked the Directive, leaving the issue of platform worker employment status to be decided on a country-by-country basis.

The big picture: In the absence of a common European set of rules, courts have tended to rule in favor of platform workers being categorized as employees rather than self-employed.

What's next: Agreement is unlikely before the European Parliament elections in June, and discussions may be further delayed by the appointment of a new Commission.

Additional Material:

• See this take on platform workers from Professor Tony Dobbins Professor of Work and Employment Relations, University of Birmingham HERE