Platform economy database
Database of initiatives and court cases in the EU
Eurofound’s platform economy database provides information on 386 initiatives and court cases that exist or have been implemented in relation to activities in the platform economy. The database was last updated in February 2024 and provides metadata for each entry, such as geographical scope, year, type of initiative, actors involved, sector and companies concerned. Initiatives include legal instruments such as legislative changes or court decisions, as well as voluntary interventions undertaken by different stakeholders to address issues around platform work.
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The database currently contains 386 entries and was last updated in February 2024.
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Italy
In November 2019, the Italian Parliament converted into law the Decree no. 101/2019. Law no. 128/2019 provides a reference framework for delivery platform workers, in view of clarifying terms of employment, provide basic protections and promote collective bargaining.
The reform is addressed to self-employed platform workers of delivery platforms, who use bicycles and motorised vehicles for delivery. The reform intends to guarantee for these workers the same working conditions as those of permanent employment contracts.
The following rules apply:
The law protects digital platform workers against discrimination providing similar freedoms and guarantees with respect to dignity at work as for employees. Moreover, it guarantees access to the relevant digital platform and states that the platform cannot exclude workers or reduce their work opportunities to sanction the refusal to carry out one delivery (art. 47-quinquies).
The law establishes a joint Observatory at the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies. The Observatory is chaired by the Minister or a delegate and includes amongst its members employer and trade union representatives appointed by the representative social partner organisations at the national level. The Observatory will assess the effects of the provisions on digital platform work (Section V-bis of law. 81/2015) and can propose amendments based on analyses of changes in the labour market (art. 47-octies). The observatory does not have inspection or sanctioning powers.
The platform economy is one of those moving targets, which, despite receiving increasing media and policy attention, has proven difficult to regulate. Given the heterogeneity of employment relationships, business models, types of platform work and cross-border issues, this is not surprising.
Technological change is accelerating as the capacity of electronic devices to digitally store, process and communicate information expands. Digitalisation is transforming the EU economy and labour markets: nearly one-third of EU workplaces are categorised as highly digitalised. What are the implications of the digital revolution for employment and work?
The rapid rise of the platform economy has led to a marked transformation of European labour markets, and existing regulatory frameworks and voluntary initiatives have yet to catch up. While platform work offers opportunities for workers and employers and potentially contributes to innovation, economic growth and competitiveness in the EU, it has been criticised from the beginning because of the poor employment and working conditions often experienced by workers.
While 2020 may come to be seen as the year platform work gathered pace and started to go mainstream – thanks in large part to COVID-19 containment measures sparking an increase in food and grocery delivery – 2021 could be the year that regulation of platform work is set in motion.
