Estonia and three other states block the revised EU platform work directive
A new, revised agreement on EU law determining when platform workers should be treated as employees failed to win support in the Council on Friday. Estonia abstained in the vote. According to a revamped deal, it would be forbidden for platforms to dismiss workers based on automated decisions.
Minister of Economic Affairs and Information Technology Tiit Riisalo (Eesti 200) said that the flexibility of a new agreement, where each country can decide on its own measures on the highly controversial issue of platform workers rights in the so-called emerging "Gig economy," is a positive step, but such a solution creates legal uncertainty across the EU and fragments the market.
"Giving Member States an obligation while also allowing for flexibility could result in a 'patchwork' approach in Europe, with pan-European platform companies confronting 27 separate systems. This could result in unending legal fights, which would pose an unreasonable business risk for platforms," the minister said.
The Directive regulates issues such as the transparency of algorithmic management, the worker's right to be informed about the operation of algorithms, the right to request explanations for automated decisions, etc.
Germany, Greece, France, and Estonia blocked the deal (France voted against, while Germany, Greece and Estonia abstained), and as a result, the political agreement on the Platform Work Directive did not get the support of the necessary number of member states on Friday.
Ahead of the vote, EU Social Democrats urged support for the directive, which has been revised several times in an attempt to strike a deal between the players involved: "Either EU member states vote for the agreement or the directive is dead."
Following the vote, MEP Elisabetta Gualmini, in charge of the case, said that the decision was "incomprehensible" and accused the countries that blocked the deal of "turning their backs" on millions of "vulnerable and exploited" workers.
The main idea of the directive is a new legal consensus that recognizes the rights of platform workers if they meet certain criteria: for example, if they are prohibited from servicing a competing app, or if they are required to meet standards of appearance, conduct and performance.
Brussels believes that 5.5 million of the EU's 28 million platform workers are misclassified, while in fact these people are entitled to rights such as minimum wage, collective bargaining, limits on working hours, health insurance, sick leave, unemployment benefits and pensions – on par with any other regular worker.
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Editor: Merili Nael, Kristina Kersa
