Spotlight on digital platform workers in the EU

Improving working conditions in the digital economy

Digital platform work is a relatively new way of working whereby an online platform, such as a website or an app, matches a request for a service from a client with the supply of paid work by an individual.

The new directive aims to help to improve the working conditions of people working through digital platforms, while preserving the opportunities and benefits brought by the platform economy.

On 13 December 2023, the Council and the European Parliament reached a provisional agreement on the proposed directive. The Council adopted the new rules on 14 October 2024.

The new directive addresses cases of misclassification of platform workers and eases the way for such workers to be reclassified as employees, guaranteeing easier access to their rights as employees under EU law. The new rules will also better protect platform workers’ personal data and increase transparency on how algorithm systems are used to take decisions in the workplace.

How many are there and what is their profile?

There are 28.3 million digital platform workers in the EU, making up a substantial labour force similar to the number of people employed in manufacturing (29 million workers). This figure is expected to grow rapidly.

Expected growth of digital platform workers (2022-2025)

Platform workers are likely to be male and young, most are over-qualified for the work they do (the majority have a post-secondary qualification) and platform work is generally their secondary source of income, in addition to their regular work.

Skill level required to deliver the services

What kind of tasks do they do and for whom?

In Europe, Taxi driving is the most popular task performed by platform workers.

Earnings of people working through platforms by type of service performed:

Types of clients

Most services are provided to individual clients, with more than 80% of clients falling in this category.

Are they employees or freelancers?

In the EU, around 5 million platform workers are incorrectly classified.

Correct employment status for platform workers is crucial to ensure they enjoy the labour rights to which they are entitled. Workers who are wrongly classified as self-employed are not entitled to the same rights and protections as employed people.

Roughly 55% of platform workers earn less than the net hourly minimum wage in the country where they work, where one exists.

While 41% of the time they dedicate to platform work is unpaid (e.g. researching tasks, waiting for assignments, reviewing ads, etc.).