EU ministers to discuss Platform Work Directive on 11 March

Minister of Employment Arto Satonen will represent Finland at the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council meeting in Brussels on 11 March. The Platform Work Directive, which has been in preparation for a long time, will be the only legislative matter in the Council. The Directive aims to improve the working conditions of platform workers.

Platform Work Directive to create new rules for the sector

Platform work refers to work organised through digital platforms. The online platforms are used to offer customers delivery of food and goods or services, for example.

The Directive aims to clarify the rules for platform work and improve the working conditions of platform workers. Its objective is to ensure that the employment status of platform workers (employed or self-employed) is correctly determined.

The key provisions of the Directive concern a legal presumption that the platform workers are presumed to be employees of a digital platform. According to the outcome of the trilogue negotiations, EU Member States would be required to establish a legal presumption concerning the employment relationships of platform workers. Unlike the original proposal by the Commission, the Directive does not contain criteria to assess whether the presumption of employment relationship is fulfilled. Instead, it should be determined nationally which facts concerning the direction and supervision will trigger the application of the presumption of employment relationship.

A presumption of employment relationship is not used in  Finland. Instead, the existence of an employment relationship is determined based on the mandatory provisions on characteristics of an employment relationship laid down in the Employment Contracts Act.

The Directive must be transposed into national legislation within two years of its entry into force. In order to achieve this, Finland must create new legislation on platform work.

Ministers to discuss implementation of European Pillar of Social Rights

The ministers will hold a policy debate on the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights in the context of the European Semester 2024 and the future social agenda. They will also endorse the opinion of the Employment Committee and the Social Protection Committee on the EU’s future policy priorities for the European Pillar of Social Rights.
The ministers are expected to approve key messages from the Employment Committee on the implementation of the Council recommendation on the Youth Guarantee.

Inquiries:

Jukka Sarhimaa, Special Adviser to the Minister of Employment, tel. +358 295 047 330 (questions to Minister Satonen) 
Jenni Heikka, Chief Specialist, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 295 047 163 
Ville Korhonen, Ministerial Adviser, International Affairs, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, tel. +358 295 163 010 
Nico Steiner, Senior Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 295 049 001 (Platform Work Directive) 
Tallamaria Maunu, Chief Specialist, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 295 047 374 (European Pillar of Social Rights from the perspective of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment) 
Jere Päivinen, Senior Specialist, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, tel. +358 295 163 614 (European Pillar of Social Rights from the perspective of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health)