DigiLux 2020 - Panel Booklet

EUROPEAN YOUTH PARLIAMENT LUXEMBOURG

Panel Booklet DIGILUX 2020 The Great Disruption: The Future of Employment in Europe 21st - 22nd November 2020

Summary

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Summary Panelists of the Panel Debate of DigiLux 2020

Page 4 Timetable of the Panel Debate of Digilux 2020

Page 8 Procedure of the Panel Debate of Digilux 2020

Page 10 Topics of Panel Debate of Digilux 2020

Page 12 DG/EAC Directorate-General for Education, Sport, Youth and Culture

Page 14 DG/EMPL I Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion I

Page 17 DG/EMPL II Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion II

Page 20 DG/GROW Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs

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Panelists of the Panel Debate of DigiLux 2020

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Nicolas Schmit, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights Nicolas Schmit took up office as European Commissioner responsible for Jobs and Social Rights in December 2019. Prior to this, and following a long career of public service in his native Luxembourg, he took up duty as Permanent Representative of Luxembourg to the EU in 1998 for a six-year term. In 2004, he was appointed Minister Delegate for Foreign Affairs and Immigration. From 2009 to 2018, he held the position of Minister for Labour and Employment in the Luxembourgish government.

Mr. Schmit served as a Member of the European Parliament for the social-democratic LĂŤtzebuerger Sozialistesch Aarbechterpartei following his election in May 2019. Nicolas Schmit holds a Doctorate in International Economic Relations and a Masters in French Literature from the University of Aix-Marseille.

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Maxime Cerutti, Director of BusinessEurope’s Social Affairs department Maxime Cerutti was appointed Director of BusinessEurope’s Social Affairs department in January 2012. He is responsible for a diverse portfolio of social affairs and labour market policy issues as well as the day-to-day management of the department. He also coordinates BusinessEurope’s engagement as a social partner in the context of the European social dialogue. Maxime joined BusinessEurope in November 2007 as social affairs adviser.

Prior to this, he worked between 2005 and 2007 as a policy officer at the European Youth Forum in Brussels.

He started his professional career with a six-month internship at the French ministry of Foreign Affairs in Paris, where he followed the work of the EU Council on Employment and Social Affairs. Graduated in European law and political science, Maxime holds a Master degree from Sciences Po Paris, a double law degree from the university of Bordeaux in France and the university of Canterbury in the UK, and he participated in a summer session at the University of California at Berkeley in the United States. His mother tongue is French. He speaks English fluently, is at ease in Italian, and is a basic user of German and Spanish.

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Franz ClĂŠment, Labour Market Researcher at the Luxembourg Institute

Franz ClĂŠment was born in 1969. He has a PhD in sociology and has been working as a social science researcher at LISER (Luxembourg Institute of Socio Economic Research) since 1996. He is specialized in issues related to the labour market.

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Schedule of the Panel Debate

Schedule of the Panel Debate 16:00

Opening of Panel Debate, introductions from the Panelists

16:05

DG EAC - White Paper on Facilitating Transitions from School to Employment

16:17

DG EMPL I - White Paper on Supporting Key Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic

16:29

Break / buffer time

16:31

DG EMPL II - White Paper on Facilitating the Safe Workplace Return of Furloughed Workers `

16:43

DG GROW - White Paper on Regulating Employment Providers and Work in the Gig Economy

16:55

Concluding remarks from the Panelists

16:58

Closing of Panel Debate 9

Panel Debate Procedure

Panel Debate Procedure Each Topic group has 12 minutes to present their White Paper to the Panelists and engage with them in Q&A. The procedure is as follows: - 2 minutes for the Introduction of the Topic by the Topic Group - 10 minutes for Q&A, organised as follows: Round 1: One question per Panelist Topic Group responses to Round 1 Round 2: Open discussion with the Panelists and Topic Group

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Topic of Debates

Topic of Debates Directorate-General for Education, Sport, Youth and Culture (DG/EAC)

Young people are more educated than ever, but finding it more difficult to break into the labour market than previous generations. What should Member States do to support the transitions from school to employment?

Chairpersons: Sofia Zangana (GR) and Matthaios Ntoutsis (GR)

Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion I (DG/EMPL I)

With ‘key workers’ such as nurses, shopkeepers, cleaners and police officers in roles where remote working is practically impossible and salaries relatively low and inflexible, how can Member States keep them safe from disease and ensure adequate compensation for their indispensable services to society?

Chairpersons: Triin Sulengo (EE) and Isidora Popaj-Popović (AL)

Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion II (DG/EMPL II)

With furlough schemes shielding up to 45 million Europeans from unemployment about to end, what steps should the Member States take to get as many people back to work as possible, while ensuring an adequate safety net for all?

Chairpersons: Ahmad Raza (UK) and Mohtaram Gasimova (AZ)

Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG/GROW) As the ‘gig economy’ providing flexible and easily accessible on-demand work in industries such as ridesharing, food delivery, and personal and household services has expanded across Europe, challenging the conventional definitions of employer-employee relationships, what regulatory frameworks should apply to them?

Chairpersons: Ninni Norra (FI) and Ștefan Tatu (RO)

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DG/EAC Directorate-General for Education, Sport, Youth and Culture

White Paper on Facilitating Transitions from School to Employment By the European Youth Parliament, on behalf of the European Commission Directorate-General for Education, Sport, Youth and Culture (DG EAC)

List of contributors: Naira Čamdžić (BA), Hayrünnisa Çelik (BA), Kleoniki Chachouli (GR), Anur Delic (BA), Touré Mahily (FR), Thomas Pagonis Ntinelis (GR), Carlos Valverde (ES), Matthaios Ntoutsis (Chairperson, GR), Sofia Zangana (Chairperson, GR)

Young people are more educated than ever, but finding it more difficult to break into the labour market than previous generations. What should Member States do to support the transitions from school to employment?

Abstract This White Paper aims to offer an insight into the main problems causing youth unemployment within Member States.

The professional lives of young Europeans have been largely affected by the pandemic. While the EU has already recognised the importance of the youth on the labour market and the European economy, we argue the European Commission and Member States should cooperate in order to help the young people currently transitioning to employment.

COVID-19 has left a mark on youth unemployment and is continuing to hinder the labour market, making it even more difficult for young Europeans to find a job.

Problem Statement The COVID-19 pandemic threatens to undo the EU’s efforts in reducing youth unemployment rates to levels last seen in the 2007 financial crisis, making youth unemployment, yet again, a pressing issue. Bearing in mind the multinational economic and humanitarian crisis as well as the subsequent labour market instability in Member States, it is difficult for young people to find a job according to their skills and school qualifications. This continuing crisis has created multiple structural challenges and therefore, even highly educated young people face enormous hurdles in their pursuit for working opportunities.

Background Since December 2019 the youth unemployment rate has increased from 14.1% to 17.6% due to the COVID-19 pandemic and is expected to continue rising. The current financial crisis is connected with the 2008 recession in many ways, one of them being that young people without further extensive education are mostly affected. Amidst the pandemic, people have been forced to start working from home which posed a problem to those with limited digital literacy and inadequate access to digital work platforms. This raises great concern considering that the economic cost of not integrating young people who are not in employment, education or training (NEETs) is estimated to be over EUR 150 billion in the EU. More specifically, the European Commission’s summer 2020 economic forecast predicts that the EU economy will shrink by 8.3% in 2020.

Furthermore, it is important to acknowledge the role of mental health amidst entering the labour market and the increased negative impact COVID-19 has had on it. Moving from school to work is a highly stressful and hard process in the best of times, and it is not helped by the mismatch between skills taught in schools and higher education, and the demands of employers.

Moreover, it is worth mentioning that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are significant for the European economy accounting for more than two-thirds of the workforce and more than half of the economic value added.

With a vast majority of SMEs facing multiple business hurdles in the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of people out of work rose by 251,000 during July 2020 to 13.2 million, contributing to the exacerbation of working poverty conditions.

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Best Practices The Youth Guarantee is a commitment by Member States to ensure that all young people under the age of 25 receive a good quality offer of employment, continued education, apprenticeship and traineeship within a period of four months of becoming unemployed or leaving formal education. All EU countries have committed to the implementation of the Youth Guarantee in a Council Recommendation of April 2013.

The Irish JobsPlus programme encourages employers to offer employment to jobseekers on the Live Register through cash incentives. JobsPlus was extended in 2020, in response to COVID-19. According to the Jobs Stimulus, 8,000 recruitment subsidies of up to €7,500 over 2 years will be available for employers to hire someone aged under 30 who is on the Live Register or receiving the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment.

The European Solidarity Corps, directly focused on promoting opportunities for young people encompassing volunteer work and jobs, has invested in the EU Youth Initiative with the aims of Engage, Connect and Empower young Europeans while working. Projects such as Erasmus+ or DiscoverEU are results of this initiative.

Additionally, the European Framework for Quality and Effective Apprenticeships set out common criteria to promote the quality and effectiveness of youth apprenticeships.

Actions to Take Since employment is a shared EU competence, the Commission, together with Member States, should try to redirect country-specific policies and budgets towards ensuring that the youth unemployment rates stay as low as possible.

Differences between Member States are vast and since the youth unemployment situation is not expected to improve during the COVID-19 pandemic, we present the following policy recommendations: 1. To encourage the European Commission to boost apprenticeship offers, by direct hiring incentives offered to SMEs, and by mobilising local and regional authorities to foster new and adapted digital apprenticeships.

2. To urge the International Finance Corporation and the European Solidarity Corps to fund more youth-owned start-ups, providing young people with alternative opportunities to participate in the labour market.

3. To advise Member States to recognise the importance of professional training in higher education, drafting a curriculum for students directly focusing on and highlighting the impact of COVID-19 on the labour market.

4. To urge Member States to provide financial aid to all businesses that have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in order to help them stay afloat.

5. To call upon the European Commission to future-proof the EU’s vocational education and training (VET) policy by taking a new, flexible approach and adapting it to the digital world.

6. To ask Member States to further implement the European Commission’s Communication in the Digital Education Action Plan by mainly focusing on the acquirement of digital skills among young citizens.

Conclusion This White Paper addresses the issues that young, educated people face when entering the labour market in the current time of economic instability. Specifically, we encourage Member States to take into consideration the importance of empowering youth initiatives and entrepreneurship, strive further to reduce and eliminate working poverty, and invest into the re-employment of unemployed citizens and improve working conditions at all levels of the labour market. Summarising, the young European workforce has to be given more chances with the help of EU instruments to break dynamically into the labour market.

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DG/EMPL I Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion I

White Paper on Supporting Key Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic By the European Youth Parliament, on behalf of the European Commission Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion I (DG EMPL I) List of contributors: Mihnea Flutur (RO) , Maria Fotopoulou (GR), Ami Loka (AL), Iris Aikaterini Kamperoglou( GR), Maria Vlavianou (GR), Anass Jandoubi (LU), Triin Sulengo (Chairperson, EE), Isidora Popaj-Popović (Chairperson, AL)

With ‘key workers’ such as nurses, shopkeepers, cleaners and police officers in roles where remote working is practically impossible and salaries relatively low and inflexible, how can Member States keep them safe from disease and ensure adequate compensation for their indispensable services to society?

Abstract Acknowledging the importance of key workers’ vital contributions to society during the COVID-19 pandemic, the European Commission highlights the need to provide additional support to essential workers and improve their working conditions. Both their physical and mental health need to be taken into consideration, as well as the need for social recognition and an increase of their minimum wage.

Problem Statement The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on various aspects of employment, with major repercussions on key workers. As a consequence, key workers often find themselves working for extremely long periods which increases their risk of catching the virus. Furthermore, the efforts and sacrifices made by key workers are not always recognized by society or governments - since many key workers have inadequate wages - which has a hazardous effect on their self-esteem and income. Additionally, migrant workers in key sectors suffer from poor working conditions, heightening their risk of exposure to Covid.

Background The lives of key workers have been altered significantly by the spread of the virus, with long working hours and low wages jeopardizing their mental and physical health. More importantly, most key workers are not receiving adequate payment for the work they are doing. This implies they cannot always afford to take care of some basic living needs, despite the vital role they are playing in society.

Best Practices As the World Economic Forum (WEF) has repeatedly stressed, society needs to reevaluate the salaries of key workers by appreciating their invaluable contribution at times of crisis. Recognising the importance of key workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, the European Parliament adopted a resolution which proposes improving their salaries and working conditions. More specifically, Germany has declared bonus payments to key workers exempt from taxation.

To ensure the safety of essential workers, the European Space Agency (ESA) has set up a rapid-testing mobile field laboratory in Italy. The EU Civil Protection Mechanism is making these resources available to all Member States.

Finally, focusing on the migrant key workers, some Member States have facilitated the entry of immigrants into the labour market by providing them with amnesty or temporary residence permits.

Actions to Take Since the effects of the pandemic play out differently in different Member States and over time, the policy recommendations involve a largely coordinating role for the European institutions.

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1. Those Member States that are currently handling the Covid-19 situation well are recommended to send medical equipment (Masks, Sanitizers, ‌) to other Member States that may be still struggling to handle the pandemic. In addition, Member States which have already invested in the production of such medical equipment are encouraged to continue these activities in the long term by receiving extra financial support by the EU. 2. In order to minimize the consequences of the stress that key workers face, the Consumers, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency (CHAFEA) is encouraged to collaborate with the World Health Organisation (WHO/Europe) on providing key workers with mental health resources and contact with trained psychologists. We recommend the creation of platforms that would connect key workers with trained mental health professionals.

3. Member States are also encouraged to subsidise temporary contracts which would allow the fast recruitment of more workers in essential sectors. This would focus particularly on professions not requiring special education.

4. In recognition of the efforts and sacrifices made by key workers, Member States should consider passing legislation to raise the minimum wage for all essential workers, as well as organizing informative campaigns, especially in schools, to raise the popular awareness of their valuable contributions.

5. Further encourages all Member States to use the SURE fund for offering the same amount of financial support to all key workers, as well as for the creation of special facilities, where documented immigrant key workers could stay.

Conclusion To summarise, the mental consequences caused by increased workload and the resulting stress, can be tackled by establishing platforms that make it easier for key workers to find psychological support. In order to concretely reward key workers for their efforts and sacrifices, a rise in their salary should be implemented. Hospital safety should be strengthened by investing more in the health sector. In conclusion, key workers should be supported by any means possible, since we cannot go through this pandemic without them.

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DG/EMPL II Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion II

White Paper on Facilitating the Safe Workplace Return of Furloughed Workers By the European Youth Parliament, on behalf of the European Commission Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion II (DG EMPL II) List of contributors: Ashleigh Chinery (UK), Marina Douka (GR), Luca Dobrinescu (RO), Sascha Emringer (LU), Marie-Huguttee Rutazihana (FR), Riyad Valiyev (AZ), Anastasia-Dimitra Vogiatzi (GR), Ahmad Raza (Chairperson, UK), Mohtaram Gasimova (Chairperson, AZ)

With furlough schemes shielding up to 45 million Europeans from unemployment about to end, what steps should the Member States take to get as many people back to work as possible, while ensuring an adequate safety net for all?

Abstract Considering the responsibility of Member States to ensure the healthy and safe return of citizens to their workplaces, this White Paper proposes policy approaches for facilitating this transition and easing the current pressure on government-funded unemployment support schemes. Approaches at the EU level, particularly providing financial assistance for governments to offer personalised assistance to individuals, should be supplemented by employer incentives for a safe return to the workplace. Finally, the European Social Fund should supply businesses with the necessary equipment for implementing Operational Health and Safety guidelines in the workplace.

Problem Statement The COVID-19 pandemic, while already responsible for the loss of 5.5 million jobs, has further put at stake the 45 million workers currently under the protection of furlough schemes across the European Union (EU). The increasing need for government support schemes is further elevating the economic pressure on Member States, pushing them to consider alternative measures for protecting workers and ensuring a smooth and safe return to the workplace.

Addressing the growing need for sustainable alternatives, how can Member States respond to the current employment challenge to ensure the long-term security of their labour markets?

Background While the lockdowns imposed in all Member States have impacted everyone, they have arguably had a much larger impact on occupations that cannot be performed online or remotely. People employed in sectors such as hospitality and tourism have experienced increased threats to their employment, as the lockdown measures have hindered the ability of firms to keep providing services. More generally, COVID-19 has dramatically reduced the number of customers for such services, resulting in massive loss of revenue.

Due to the mounting cost of unemployment support schemes to the public sector, Member States are facing a challenge in continuing to provide them. However, were the furlough schemes to be stopped without taking alternative action, a great number of businesses would be at risk of going bankrupt, while many workers would face additional financial struggles. This is why a smooth transition away from furlough schemes and towards more sustainable alternatives is necessary, keeping in mind that the current situation is considered prone to larger economic crises in the future.

Additionally, taking into account the widespread reluctance to return to the workplace amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and considering the expensive nature of furlough schemes, Member States need to place more safety measures in order to boost worker confidence and mobilise the return to employment under increased workplace safety protocols.

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Best Practices Different approaches taken by the Member States have curbed the impact of lockdowns on workers. For instance, Germany adopted the system of Kurzarbeit (short-time working), which covered 87 percent of the net wages of active workers. Furthermore, the French government has tried to boost employment among young people by hiring employment consultants to advise them on safe jobs and help them in the recruitment process. Additionally, it has collaborated with companies by funding their efforts to bring back workers and by providing additional incentives, such as tax breaks.

To support the existing schemes and encourage new policy approaches to unemployment during the pandemic, the European Commission (EC) created and utilised the European instrument for temporary Support to mitigate Unemployment Risks in an Emergency (SURE). Under this scheme, 15 Member States have received favourable loans to finance their pandemic-oriented labour market policies.

Actions to Take Taking into account the challenging background situation, it is useful to identify solutions that will regulate the existing problems and help Member States tailor the policy recommendations to their specific needs. Having pinpointed the challenges the Member States are facing, we now recommend immediate vigilance on the part of both the EU and national governments. The proposed approaches are listed below: 1. Member States should provide financial assistance to their public sector and appeal to the SURE Mechanism as well as the European Social Fund1 to support their furlough schemes, if they wish to extend them.

2. Member States should create support schemes for workers by setting up specialised teams of professionals to boost employer mobility, in collaboration with the European Economic and Social Committee2. These teams of consultants can also help citizens find safer and more personalised employment.

3. Member States are advised to pass legislation to increase workplace safety amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

The use of masks and adherence to social distancing rules should be key aspects of this legislation, alongside increasing the application of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) guidelines and cleaning and sanitising efforts.

4. Member States should transition away from furlough schemes by directing money from the SURE Mechanism towards stipends for businesses to increase workplace safety.

5. Finally, Member States should collaborate with the ESF in helping businesses support their workers via an increased safety net of health protection and wage security.

Conclusion While the safety of the people is a priority for the EU, hundreds of thousands of jobs were cut by companies which directly led all individuals working in those companies to end up unemployed. The furlough schemes implemented in spring 2020 by Member States to aid the many workers who were forced to remain at home, are currently turning into a problem for national governments as lockdowns ease but the economic situation has not notably improved.

This White Paper addresses the efforts of getting as many people back to their workplaces as possible, and ensuring that workers’ concerns about returning to the workplace are properly addressed. Joint action by the European institutions and Member States is required to provide sufficient financing and ensure the concrete implementation of actions.

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citizens.

The European Social Fund (ESF) is the EU’s main instrument for ensuring fairer job opportunities across for all its

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The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is a consultative body of the EU that unites various economic interest groups across the European Single Market.

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DG/GROW Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs

White Paper on Regulating Employment Providers and Work in the Gig Economy By the European Youth Parliament, on behalf of the European Commission Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW) List of contributors: Abhishek Akash Diggewadi (LU), Danai Christina Avdela (GR), Haris Kozlica (BA), İsmet Eren Abidinoğlu (TR), Mete İyikavak (TR), Nickie Karousis (GR), Ninni Norra (Chairperson, FI), Ștefan Tatu (Chairperson, RO)

As the ‘gig economy’ providing flexible and easily accessible on-demand work in industries such as ridesharing, food delivery, and personal and household services has expanded across Europe, challenging the conventional definitions of employer-employee relationships, what regulatory frameworks should apply to them?

Abstract Acknowledging the role of EU legislation in employment policy, the European Commission asserts that workers’ rights within the gig economy should be expanded, while protecting and respecting the competition rules in the industry.

Furthermore, the Commission values inclusivity and dissuades economic polarisation which develops imbalances between rural and urban areas. Therefore, the European Union advances policies for gig economy and non-standard workers that encourage sustainable and equitable economic growth, while providing fair employment outcomes.

Problem Statement It has been widely noted that intensifying competition escalates tensions between employers and employees in the gig economy, particularly by underestimating the consequence of providing workers with benefits similar to those ensured in standard employment. This further destabilises the consistency along the lines of employment contracts and self-employment within the gig economy while increasing demographic polarisation originating from inequality between rural and urban areas.

The interests of employers and workers within the gig economy must be balanced to promote welfare and growth.

In this context, Member States should reconsider and review their policies in fields where gig economy workers are not treated equitably. This includes incorporating retirement plans, holiday pay, taxation on a short term basis and contracts with a “statement of rights”. In addition to this, a shift towards Circular Economy will encourage healthy competition and achieve equality between workers and regions within the EU, ensuring fairness in the gig sector.

Background The gig economy has expanded rapidly since the beginning of the 21st century and has drawn the attention of the European Union, which has been seeking to regulate and legislate this new sector of economy.

Between 2016 and 2017, the European Centre of Expertise (ECE) designated the European Union’s strategy in the fields of labour law, employment, and market practices regarding issues such as employment within the gig economy. Member States’ approach was directly shown by a series of court rulings, the most prominent of which, in Italy, gave gig economy workers the same rights as other employees through a court judgment on the 11th of January 2019.

The same year, the European Union further cemented its approach by passing legislation to protect the rights of gig economy workers, with the exception of those labeled as self-employed, to certain legal protections without discouraging competition. Finally, on 8th of May 2020, the European Court of Justice validated national court decisions

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of each Member State classifying worker status within their own jurisdiction.

Best Practices The European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR) delivers new and practical policies. It was developed upon 20 fundamental principles designed to ensure fair working conditions, including equal opportunities and access to the labour market.

The European Commission introduced a Directive on Transparent Employment Conditions in the European Union, introducing new minimum rights, as well as new laws on how information on working conditions is provided to employees. The directive refers to anyone who is paid to work at least 12 hours per month on average, including domestic workers; on-demand platform workers; seasonal and voucher-based workers; as well as trainees and apprentices.

In recent years, Member States such as Italy and France have proposed legislation aimed to extend basic protections to gig workers. For example, riders in transportation services are placed in between regular employment and self-employment. This would mean fairer treatment to those who previously lacked many of the basic working rights.

Actions to Take In light of the European Court of Justice’s 8th of May 2020 ruling, the European Commission identifies and recognises the distinction between employees and self-employed workers; what these workers are entitled to, has been left to the Member States to decide upon.

Nonetheless, the European Commission believes, as indicated by the EU’s prior approach, that it should provide all workers with more flexibility and rights while not limiting the gig economy’s growth and competitiveness. In line with this, the key recommendations are: 1. To introduce voluntary charters as an alternative between the status of being an employee and being self-employed, under which these voluntary-contractees would be entitled to all employee rights. This would be done to respect the ECJ’s 8 May 2020 decision, giving Member States the freedom to choose their approach towards the gig economy, while expanding rights under EU jurisdiction to as large a portion of the Single Market as possible.

2. To encourage Member States to build upon the European Parliament’s expansion of workers’ rights in 2019, by demanding that employees be provided with a Statement of Rights on the first day of employment.

3. To encourage Member States to allow for the calculation of holiday pay and taxation on a shorter 12-week basis, while also giving the option to pay a specific contribution to their private social benefits on the same basis.

4. To upgrade the existing European Job Mobility Portal and expand opportunities within the gig economy to a larger portion of society, by making the platform more accessible to people unfamiliar with technology. This upgraded platform will provide gig workers with knowledge of their rights.

5. To call for Member States to review their employment policies in order to reflect the European Union’s vision regarding the inclusion of citizens with impairments, from minority or disadvantaged backgrounds, or those previously unemployed.

Conclusion Gig workers lack many of the rights and legal protections reserved for standard employees. With this in mind, it is recommended to extend these rights in favour of flexibility and general well-being. The gig economy promotes innovation and growth, yet the upkeep of competition should not come at a cost to working conditions. Thus, the gig sector needs an unprecedented shift to an industry which provides adaptability, while ensuring fairness for its workers.

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