The Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, Nicolas Schmit, confirmed that the chapter dedicated to the supervision of algorithms in the directive on the improvement of digital platforms was not his “last word”, in front of the MEPs of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL), on Monday 13 December, alongside the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
While all MEPs, without exception, welcomed the European Commission’s proposal (see EUROPE 12850/14), several, in particular Kim van Sparrentak (Greens/EFA, Netherlands), asked for more ambition on the supervision of algorithms.
The Commissioner was clear on the subject, confirming that this was “not the last word” from the European Commission. And added: “We have started with platforms, because platforms and algorithms, that is something which goes absolutely together. But algorithms are already everywhere and especially in the world of work”, pointing out that the rise of teleworking has been accompanied by the rise of control algorithms. “I think we need a kind of frame here also: how far how people can or cannot be controlled”, he added.
Asked about the lack of binding action for the self-employed, the Commissioner recalled the European Commission’s lack of room for manoeuvre on the issue due to the EU treaties. “Perhaps this is an occasion also when we are discussing about the future of Europe and about treaty changes, that treaties might be changed on this and that some more competences might be obtained in terms of self-employed”, he said, recalling that the context of the world of work has changed greatly since the European treaties were drafted.
As a reminder, the Commission provides for guidelines, which are in essence non-binding, to allow independents to organise themselves collectively without this being considered a cartel under European competition law.
The directive on working conditions for digital platforms is one of the major social initiatives of the French Presidency of the EU Council, although some fear there is little appetite to push the issue forward (see EUROPE 12843/20). On the European Parliament side, Sylvie Brunet (Renew Europe, France) would like to get the legislative file back, as she originated the legislative own-initiative report (see EUROPE 12763/28). (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)