Open letter to EU governments on the Platform Worker Rights Directive

Call to EU Member States: reject the Spanish agreement on the Platform Worker Rights Directive

Ahead of the Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper) meeting on 20th?December, and on behalf of Freelance Movement and freelancers across the European Union, we call on you to reject the Spanish agreement on the Platform Worker Rights Directive.?

The proposal is a massive blow for entrepreneurship and open talent in Europe. The presumption of employment as it stands will force freelancers to be reclassified and pushed into oppressive 9 to 5 employment structures that they do not want, and have actively taken steps to reject. This law as it stands will effectively take away the very flexibility and freedom that they actively desire as to when, where and how they work.

This message has been delivered loud and clear via our petition, which is backed by over 6,500 freelancers from across Europe, who want to see their livelihoods protected (the petition can be accessed at https://chng.it/jhxKnNpNdY)?

The Directive is aimed at ride hailing and food delivery couriers, but freelancing today covers a whole host of sectors and professionals from IT experts, lawyers and health care workers to architects, artists and musicians. Moreover, European Commission figures state that the number of people working through platforms will grow from 28 million in 2021 to a projected 43 million in 2025. Only a tiny percentage of this figure will be working in the ride hailing and food delivery sectors. A huge number of freelancers will therefore be dragged into the scope of the Directive against their will.?

Furthermore, the Spanish agreement will create more legal uncertainty. Putting in place five “indicators” to trigger a presumption of employment that are non-exhaustive and therefore useless is a backwards step. In the press conference following the Spanish deal, the European Parliament's rapporteur Elisabetta Gualmini MEP even said that “hints” would be enough to trigger the indicators, which need less evidence than criteria.

In sum, Europe’s open talent deserves better and we call upon you to reject the Spanish agreement in its entirety.

About Freelance Movement

Freelance Movement is the largest stakeholder initiative in Europe focused on the future of work, with 49 members from across the continent. We understand the role that digitalisation is playing in the future of work and how it is creating opportunities, facilitating growth and driving the economy.

Our role is to:

• Educate on, explain and quantify freelancing and the future of work.
• Identify challenges and barriers, then with decision-makers and other stakeholders work towards creating policy and regulatory solutions.
• Provide exposure and business opportunities within our future of work ecosystem - as well as a platform - for members and partners

www.freelance-movement.org?