First EU rules on platform work

On 11 March 2024 EU employment and social affairs ministers confirmed the provisional agreement reached on 8 February 2024 between the Council’s presidency and the European Parliament’s negotiators on the platform work directive (“Directive”).

What is platform work?

The digital platform economy is growing quickly.​ During the COVID-19 pandemic, platform work gathered pace and started to go mainstream, partly thanks to an increase in food and grocery deliveries. It is becoming an engine for innovation and employment growth.

Over 28 million people in the EU work through one (or more) of these digital labour platforms.​ In 2025,​ that number is expected to reach 43 million people.​

Platform work:

• is a form of employment in which organisations or individuals use an online platform to access other organisations or individuals to solve specific problems,​ or to provide specific services in exchange for payment;
• comes in many shapes and sizes, sometimes it's also called the 'gig economy'. While the growth of digital platforms has benefitted both businesses and consumers, it has led to the development of a grey zone for many workers when it comes to their employment status.​

The Directive:

1. aims to improve workin...