30/08/23 (Agence Europe) – On Wednesday 30 August, the European representatives of road transport operators, hospitality and the metal, engineering and technology-based industries, the IRU, HOTREC and CEEMET, warned that “the lack of pre-established EU-wide criteria on employment relations in the directive on platform workers could be detrimental to small and medium-sized enterprises and the self-employed”. The three organisations are particularly critical of the position of the European Parliament rapporteur, Elisabetta Gualmini (S&D, Italian), as negotiations with the Council of the EU resume on Monday 18 September (see EUROPE 13113/8). Parliament, unlike the Council, has abolished the mandatory criteria, opening up the prospect of automatic reclassification of these workers as employees. “These EU-wide criteria should make it possible to classify the relationship from the outset as employment or self-employment”, according to the three groups. To see the position, go to https://aeur.eu/f/8dn (SP)