EU Debate on the Digital Platforms Directive Extends Into the Belgian Presidency
The issue that directly affects platform workers in Europe has not yet reached final approval. The so‑called rider law, formally part of the Digital Platforms Directive, was paused as the process moved into a new phase. This pause followed an agreement between the European presidency and the European Parliament last week, with insiders noting that the matter was postponed rather than resolved during last Friday’s ambassadorial discussions. Although a principled approval had been expected, certain concerns and inconsistencies were raised, and the Spanish presidency chose not to put the proposal to a vote after a verification check showed insufficient quorum.
As a result, the dossier was transferred to the Belgian presidency, which will steer the process starting on January 1. Joaquin Pérez Rey, the Minister of State for Labor, announced the shift on his official social media channel, stressing that the EU’s conservative and liberal governments have delayed the directive’s approval despite broad backing. He described the directive as a pioneering step that would extend protections to roughly 30 million workers and 5.5 million workers who are quasi‑self‑employed across the bloc. Attribution: EU sources and statements from the Spanish presidency provided context for this transfer and the current state of play. [Citation: European Council briefings, January 2025].
European insiders confirmed that the Spanish presidency began negotiations with a sense that the requisite support would not materialize in time to secure a qualified majority, leading to a strategic decision to move the file forward under Belgian leadership. The formal note to the Belgian presidency indicates a planned review path rather than a vote, with the aim of unlocking broader consensus during the Belgian chair’s tenure. Attribution: EU diplomatic channels and parallel briefings. [Citation: EU diplomatic briefings, December 2024].
Officials emphasized that, in the absence of a sufficiently qualified majority, ratification did not proceed. Although detailed lines of the text were not extensively debated in the brief exchanges, several delegations used the moment to voice concerns about the agreed wording. The Belgian government will now guide the debate when it resumes in January, acting as a bridge between the proposals already debated and the refinements expected under new leadership. Attribution: European sources and policy observers. [Citation: Intergovernmental discussions, late 2024].
What remains central is the aim to improve working conditions for those employed on digital platforms. The agreement that circulated last week centers on rules governing algorithmic governance and the use of artificial intelligence in the workplace for the first time in the EU. The goal is to create clearer accountability for automated decision‑making and to establish more transparent processes for workers and their representatives. Attribution: EU policy texts and summaries from official briefings. [Citation: EU policy documents, 2024‑25].
Pérez Rey has underscored that the directive seeks additional transparency and human oversight of algorithmic decisions. It would also grant workers’ representatives new rights to information and consultation, strengthening their ability to participate in how automated systems affect work conditions. Attribution: public statements by the Minister of State for Labor. [Citation: Ministerial remarks, 2024].
In practice, the original Spanish plan to automatically classify riders as employees, and to grant them full employment status, did not prevail. The current framework requires riders to demonstrate at least two of the minimum working conditions to qualify for employee status, with five conditions set as a threshold for employment recognition. This approach reflects a nuanced balance between traditional employment protections and the realities of platform‑driven work. Attribution: text of the proposed directive and subsequent summaries. [Citation: EU legislative texts, 2024–25].