34 Amendments of Krzysztof HETMAN related to 2021/0414(COD)
Amendment 173 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) This Directive respects fundamental rights and observes the principles recognised in particular by the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (‘the Charter’). In particular, Article 315 of the Charter provides forto the right to work and to pursue a freely chosen or accepted occupation as well as to provide services. Article 31 of the Charter supplements the right to work with the right of every worker to working conditions which respect his or her health, safety and dignity. Article 27 of the Charter protects the workers’ right to information and consultation within the undertaking. Article 8 of the Charter provides that everyone has the right to the protection of personal data concerning him or her. Article 16 of the Charter recognises the freedom to conduct a business.
Amendment 178 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) Principle No 5 of the European Pillar of Social Rights, proclaimed at Gothenburg on 17 November 201753 , provides that, regardless of the type and duration of the employment relationship, workers have the right to fair and equal treatment regarding working conditions, access to social protection and training; that, in accordance with legislation and collective agreements, the necessary flexibility for employers to adapt swiftly to changes in the economic context is to be ensured; and that innovative forms of work that ensure quality working conditions are to be fostered, that entrepreneurship and self-employment are to be encouraged and that occupational mobility is to be facilitated, thus strongly reaffirming the right under Article 15 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights and the basic freedom of choice every person enjoys when engaging in work and the fundamental principle of free market initiative, including on the labour market. The Porto Social Summit of May 2021 welcomed the Action Plan accompanying the Social Pillar54 as guidance for its implementation. __________________ 53 Interinstitutional Proclamation on the European Pillar of Social Rights (OJ C 428, 13.12.2017, p. 10). 54 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, ‘The European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan’, COM(2021) 102 final, 4.3.2021.
Amendment 218 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 6 a (new)
Recital 6 a (new)
(6a) Platform work may facilitate flexibility and optimisation of resources, and provide opportunities for both people working in or through digital labour platforms and clients, and the matching of demand for and supply of services.
Amendment 220 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 6 b (new)
Recital 6 b (new)
(6b) Innovation in digital tools is a precondition for platform work and can contribute to growth in times of crisis and recovery.
Amendment 221 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 6 c (new)
Recital 6 c (new)
(6c) Platform work can offer advantages for students and those who wish to combine study and work at the same time, as well as creating access to employment for young people not in education, employment or training (NEETs), and people with lower skill levels;
Amendment 222 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 6 d (new)
Recital 6 d (new)
(6d) The trend towards remote working in many sectors, and especially online- based trade and services is unavoidable and favourable for many companies and workers and the booming development of digital technologies predetermines many new and unpredictable opportunities for so-called non-standard forms of work and employment.
Amendment 223 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 6 e (new)
Recital 6 e (new)
(6e) The labour and social security legislation of most Member States are generally unprepared to the challenges of the digital world and digitalized labour market in particular, which is causing grave risks to both people, engaged in digitally based work, and to existing solidarity-based healthcare and social security models. If not tackled accordingly, the above-mentioned risks might jeopardise the entire European model of the social market economy and the goals of the European Pillar of Social Rights, whereas adapting to technological progress might provide the solutions for adaptation of the European social model to the realities of the 21st century;
Amendment 227 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) Court cases in several Member States have shown the persistence of misclassification of the employment status in certain types of platform work, in particular in sectors where digital labour platforms exert a certain degree of control over the remuneration and performance of work. While digital labour platforms frequently classify persons working through them as self-employed or ‘independent contractors’, many courts have found that the platforms exercise de facto direction and control over those persons, often integrating them in their main business activities and unilaterally determining the level of remuneration. Those courts have therefore reclassifiedvarious aspects of the performance of the work. Those courts have therefore reclassified, based on different criteria and national legislative solutions, purportedly self-employed persons as workers employed by the platforms. However, various national legislations, social dialogue practices and case law has resulted in diverse outcomes and digital labour platforms have adapted their business model in various ways, thus increasing the lack of legal certainty over the employment status.
Amendment 244 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) When platforms operate in several Member States or across borders, it is often unclear where the platform work, especially online based, is performed and by whom. Also, national authorities do not have easy access to data on digital labour platforms, including the number of persons performing platform work, their employment status, and their working conditions. This complicates the enforcement of applicable national and European rules, including in respect of labour law, health and social protection. security, social protection and taxation.
Amendment 272 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) In addition, the Commission held extensive exchanges with relevant stakeholders, including digital labour platforms, associations of persons performing platform work, experts from academia, Member States and international organisations and representatives of civil society. It is of utmost importance for these consultations to continue after the adoption of this Directive, including social partners at all levels, in order to guarantee the smooth transposition and implementation of the Directive and provide for a timely revision, based on lessons learned.
Amendment 297 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 18 a (new)
Recital 18 a (new)
(18a) Social dialogue and collective bargaining are of utmost importance for achieving the goals of the present Directive. However, digitally based labour market practices require the use of new digital technologies in organizing social dialogue, too. Therefore, traditional trade union organizations might prove unsuitable for organizing platform workers or collective agreements among self-employed persons, engaged in platform work, especially when established trade unions are not ready to adapt to new digital realities, so new forms of organization of workers should be made available by the Member States.
Amendment 310 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 20
Recital 20
(20) In its case law, the Court of Justice has established criteria for determining the status of a worker62 . The interpretation by the Court of Justice of those criteria should be taken into account in the implementation of this Directive. The abuse of the status of self-employed persons, as defined in national law, either at national level or in cross-border situations, is a form of falsely declared work that is frequently associated with undeclared work. False self-employment occurs when a person is declared to be self- employed while fulfilling the conditions characteristic of an employment relationship, in order to avoid certain legal or fiscal obligations. __________________ 62 Judgments of the Court of Justice of 3 July 1986, Deborah Lawrie-Blum v Land Baden-Württemberg, C-66/85, ECLI:EU:C:1986:284; 14 October 2010, Union Syndicale Solidaires Isère v Premier ministre and Others, C-428/09, ECLI:EU:C:2010:612; 4 December 2014, FNV Kunsten Informatie en Media v Staat der Nederlanden, C-413/13, ECLI:EU:C:2014:2411; 9 July 2015, Ender Balkaya v Kiesel Abbruch- und Recycling Technik GmbH, C-229/14, ECLI:EU:C:2015:455; 17 November 2016, Betriebsrat der Ruhrlandklinik gGmbH v Ruhrlandklinik gGmbH, C-216/15, ECLI:EU:C:2016:883; 16 July 2020, UX v Governo della Repubblica italiana, C- 658/18, ECLI:EU:C:2020:572; and order of the Court of Justice of 22 April 2020, B v Yodel Delivery Network Ltd, C-692/19, ECLI:EU:C:2020:288.
Amendment 393 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 33
Recital 33
(33) Digital labour platforms should not be required to disclose the detailed functioning of their automated monitoring and decision-making systems, including algorithms, or other detailed data that contains commercial secrets, price sensitive information or is protected by intellectual property rights. Digital labour platforms should also not be required to disclose information that, with reasonable certainty, would result in the enabling of deception of consumers or consumer harm through the manipulation of the system. However, the result of those considerations should not be a refusal to provide all the information required by this Directive.
Amendment 439 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 45
Recital 45
(45) Platform work is characterised by the lack of a common workplace where workers can get to know each other and communicate with each other and with their representatives, also in view of defending their interests towards the employer. It is therefore necessary to create digital communication channels, in line with the digital labour platforms’ work organisation, where persons performing platform work can exchange with each other and be contacted by their representatives. Digital labour platforms should create such communication channels within their digital infrastructure or through similarly effective means, while respecting the protection of personal data and refraining from accessing or monitoring those communicationsfacilitate the establishment of such communication channels while respecting the protection of personal data.
Amendment 443 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 46
Recital 46
(46) In administrative or judicial proceedings regarding the correct determination of the employment status of persons performing platform work, the elements regarding the organisation of work allowing to establish the employment status and in particular whether the digital labour platform controls certainlimits the engagement in work for other clients or through other platforms or digital and offline means, as well as whether it controls certain key and determining elements of the performance of work may be in the possession of the digital labour platform and not easily accessible to persons performing platform work and competent authorities. National courts or competent authorities should therefore be able to order the digital labour platform to disclose any relevant evidence which lies in their control, including confidential information, subject to effective measures to protect such information.
Amendment 504 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 3
(3) ‘person performingengaged in platform work’' means any individual performing platform work, irrespective of the contractual designation of the relationship between that individual and the digital labour platform by the parties involved;
Amendment 517 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 5
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 5
(5) ‘'representatives’ means the platform workers’ organisations or representatives provided for by national law or practices, or both;
Amendment 544 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall have appropriate procedures in place to verify and ensure the correct determination of the employment status of persons performing platform work, with a view to ascertaining the existence of an employment relationship as defined by the law, collective agreements or. Where such procedures already exist, they shall be harmonized with this Directive through new legislation and collective agreements taking into account the practice in force in the Member States with consideration to the case-law of the Court of Justice, and ensuring that they enjoy the rights deriving from Union law applicable to workers.
Amendment 565 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 a (new)
Article 3 a (new)
Article 3a This Directive shall apply without prejudice to the Directive 2008/104/EC.
Amendment 616 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) effectivelyDe facto determining, or setting upper limits for thethe total level of remuneration, beyond what is required by law;
Amendment 627 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – point b
(b) requiring the person performing platform work to respect specificextensive binding rules with regard to appearance, conduct towards the recipient of the service or performance of the work;, beyond what is required by law or reasonably necessary to safeguard health and safety or to ensure the essential functioning of the service.
Amendment 640 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – point c
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – point c
(c) supervising the performance of work or verifying the quality of the results of the work including by eleincluding by electronic means beyond what is required by law or reasonably necessary to safeguard health and safety or to ensure the essential functrionic means;ng of the service.
Amendment 662 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – point e b (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – point e b (new)
(eb) effectively restricting the possibility to build a client base;
Amendment 714 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 3 – point d a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 3 – point d a (new)
(da) develop precise recommendations providing guidance for digital labour platforms, persons performing platform work and social partners to understand and implement the legal presumption including on the procedures for rebutting it in accordance with Article 5;
Amendment 725 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 4 b (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. Ensuring correct determination of the employment status should not prevent the improvement of working conditions of genuine self-employed persons performing platform work. Where a digital labour platform decides – on a purely voluntary basis or in agreement with the persons concerned – to pay for social protection, accident insurance or other forms of insurance, training measures or similar benefits to self- employed persons working through that platform, those benefits as such should not be regarded as determining elements indicating the existence of an employment relationship.
Amendment 761 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 5 – paragraph 3 a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 3 a (new)
Member States shall develop a process according to which digital labour platforms and platform workers are granted consultation rights under which national and local authorities pre- emptively assess, approve and justify the employment status of platform workers on the basis of the control of the performance of work within the meaning of Article 4 paragraph 2 of the present Directive.
Amendment 770 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 5 a (new)
Article 5 a (new)
Article 5a Improvement of working conditions for genuine self-employed persons performing platform work Ensuring correct determination of the employment status shall not prevent the improvement of working conditions of genuine self-employed persons performing platform work. Where a digital labour platform decides, in agreement with the persons concerned, to pay for social protection, accident insurance or other forms of insurance, training measures or similar benefits to self-employed persons working through that platform, those benefits as such shall not be regarded as determining elements indicating the existence of an employment relationship.
Amendment 812 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 6 – paragraph 5 – introductory part
Article 6 – paragraph 5 – introductory part
5. Digital labour platforms shall not process any personal data concerning platform workers that are not intrinsically connected to and strictly necessary for the performance of the contract between the platform worker and theWithout prejudice to articles 6 and 9 of the GDPR digital labour platform. In particular theys shall not:
Amendment 819 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 6 – paragraph 5 – point b
Article 6 – paragraph 5 – point b
(b) process any personal data relating to the health of the platform worker, except in cases referred to in Article 9(2), points (ba) to (j) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679;
Amendment 842 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 6 a (new)
Article 6 a (new)
Article 6a Unless otherwise provided in this Directive or in the national law to which the platform operator is subject, in particular legislation concerning access to information, the platform operator shall not be obliged to disclose information which they have designated as confidential.
Amendment 875 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
1. Member States shall ensure that platform workers have the right to obtain an explanation from the digital labour platform for any decision taken or supported by an automated decision- making system that significantly affects the platform worker’s working conditions, as referred to in Article 6(1), point (b). In particularto the extent that this is provided for in Union or Member State law , Member States shall ensure that digital labour platforms provide platform workers with access to a contact person designated by the digital labour platform to discuss and to clarify the facts, circumstances and reasons having led to the decision. Digital labour platforms shall ensure that such contact persons have the necessary competence, training and authority to exercise that function.
Amendment 882 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 8 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
Article 8 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
2. Where platform workers are not satisfied with the explanation or the written statement of reasons obtained or consider that the decision referred to in paragraph 1 infringes their rights, they shall have the right to request the digital labour platform to review that decision. The digital labour platform shall respond to such request by providing the platform worker with a substantiated reply without undue delay and in any event within one week of receiptin line with deadlines outlined in GDPR. That period may be extended by two further months where necessary, taking into account the complexity and number of the requests.
Amendment 930 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 11 – paragraph 1
Article 11 – paragraph 1
Without prejudice to Regulations (EC) No 883/200469 and 987/200970 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Member States shall require digital labour platforms which are employers to declare work performed by platform workers to the competent labour and social protection authorities of the Member State in which the work is performed and to share relevant data , including all health and social security contributions, with those authorities, in accordance with the rules and procedures laid down in the law of the Member States concerned. __________________ 69 Regulation (EC) No 883/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the coordination of social security systems (OJ L 166, 30.4.2004, p. 1). 70 Regulation (EC) No 987/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 September 2009 laying down the procedure for implementing Regulation (EC) No 883/2004 on the coordination of social security systems (OJ L 284, 30.10.2009, p. 1).
Amendment 934 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 11 – paragraph 1 c (new)
Article 11 – paragraph 1 c (new)
Member States shall ensure full portability of all health and social security contributions, made through platforms, irrespective of the employment classification, and non-discriminatory treatment of persons, engaged in platform work vis-a-vis any other self-employed person or worker.