Despite the recent announcement of a political deal to enhance the rights of gig workers in the European Union, the agreement has encountered a setback as it failed to garner the necessary qualified majority support from Member States. The European Council’s online press release revealed that the provisional agreement among Member States’ representatives (Coreper) did not achieve the required majority, prompting the need for further negotiations with the European Parliament to finalize the directive.
Key Takeaway
The provisional agreement to bolster gig worker rights in the EU has encountered obstacles as it failed to secure the necessary majority support from Member States, leading to the need for further negotiations and potential reevaluation of the directive’s provisions.
Member States’ Opposition
According to reports, the deal faced resistance from several Member States including the Baltics, Czech Republic, France, Hungary, and Italy, which expressed formal opposition to the proposed agreement. The failure to secure a qualified majority in the Coreper meeting on Friday resulted in the absence of a formal vote on the text, signaling the lack of consensus among the participating states.
Reopening of Trilogues
If the necessary changes demanded by the blocking Member States lead to a reopening of trilogues in January, it would introduce additional complexities due to the looming European elections. The potential delay in reaching a resolution on the gig worker labor reform could leave the directive subject to evolving political priorities under a new European Commission and parliament.
Implications and Future Discussions
The failure to advance the gig worker rights directive within a short timeframe may have broader implications for the future of labor reforms in the EU. The disagreement over the legal presumption of employment between gig workers and platforms has been a focal point of contention, with differing perspectives on the criteria triggering the employment presumption.
