News item | 12-06-2023 | 13:02
During the formal council in Luxembourg, Minister Karien van Gennip (Social Affairs and Employment) reached an agreement today with her European colleagues to better protect platform workers and combat bogus self-employment. The Netherlands has campaigned for a European directive to improve the position of people who provide services via an app, for example.
Minister Van Gennip: “This agreement is an important step forward for platform workers. Many of them feel compelled to work as a self-employed person, while they are actually employees. As a result, they lack the protection they are entitled to. The Netherlands has therefore committed to an agreement that combats bogus self-employment and gives platform workers more control over the algorithms that determine their work. With this, we ensure a better balance between the sustainable development of platform companies and the protection of employees throughout Europe.”
Strong position
Platform workers are often wrongly regarded as self-employed. The directive agreed by European ministers ensures that they are qualified as employees, if they actually are. There will also be clearer rules on the use of algorithms in the platform economy. For example, couriers can no longer simply be excluded from an app. They always get the right to know why an algorithm excludes them and can appeal against it. This strengthens the position of platform workers, as a result of which they are better protected.
As usual, the member states will now negotiate the directive with the European Parliament. The Netherlands remains committed to a strong position for platform workers.