On Wednesday 24 April, MEPs approved by a very large majority (554 votes in favour, 56 against, 24 abstentions) the agreement reached with the EU Council establishing new rules to improve the employment conditions of people working via a digital platform such as Uber or Deliveroo.
The directive, which the EU Council has yet to formally adopt after giving its political agreement on 11 March (see EUROPE 13368/1), aims to remedy bogus self-employment by requiring Member States to establish a procedure for the legal presumption of salaried employment, which platforms will be able to rebut by providing proof that they employ genuine self-employed people.
The directive lays down the principles on the basis of which Member States must establish this presumption in law. The directive also introduces transparency criteria for work management algorithms, representing the first European tool of this type. It will be impossible to entrust algorithms with decisions affecting personal circumstances.
This legislation has long been opposed by certain Member States. While Germany and France did not support the text, Greece and Estonia changed their minds at the last minute. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)