Publication Democracy and the Welfare State Economy and Labour Factsheets: Online Platforms and Platform Work Bild: Mapping Platform Economy | Design: Petra Strauch, Galadriel Goldberg-Vormés Platform economy in the Nordic Countries and Germany: What can we learn from each other? Platform economy began to emerge in the Nordic countries – as in Germany and the rest of Europe - in the mid-2000s due to rapidly developing technological innovations and emergency of new business models. International online platforms such as Foodora, Hilf or Wolt have their headquarters or were founded in the Nordic countries, whereas in Germany – Gorillas and Delivery Heroes were founded. Even if the size of platform economy in the Nordic countries and Germany is increasing, there is not much known about online platforms and platform work e.g., number of online platforms or socio-demographic characteristics of platforms workers. In both cases, the lack of regulations has drastic consequences for platform workers, who work often under precarious conditions. The FES Competence Centre ‘Future of Work’ initiated an international research project that aims to capture the existing platform economy landscape in over 30 countries (EU member-states/associated countries) with a focus on the regulatory landscape... Factsheets: Nordic Countries Denmark Wage and working conditions are not subject to law in Denmark, and are instead regulated by means of collective bargaining between unions and employers’ associations. The Danish government has recently launched a labour law analysis to reveal possibilities for a presumption rule. Factsheet Denmark Sweden In 2020, the Swedish Work Environment Authority conducted a public inquiry into working conditions across 25 platforms. Two important recommendations were made to such platforms as TaskRunner and Foodora to improve management of workplace injuries as part of the attempt to recognise their employers’ responsibilities. Factsheet Sweden Norway There is currently no consensus on whether online platform companies are to be considered employers in Norway. According to Norwegian labour law, employment status is to be determined on a case-by-case basis. Platform companies vary in terms of the extent to which workers are dependent on, and subordinated to, the companies, the core criteria for determining employment status in Norwegian labour law. Factsheet Norway Finland The government over the period 2019–2023 has proposed a revision of the Employment Contracts Act to prevent employment from coming about under the guise of other contractual relationships. This can be understood as a reference to platform work. Factsheet Finland Germany There are two legislative acts concerned with the definition of platforms. The Act on Restraints of Competition is explicitly aimed at digital companies that are defined as companies with outstanding cross-market significance for competition and access to competition-relevant data. The act also introduces the legal notion of “intermediation power” to capture platform particularities. The Network Enforcement Act relates mainly to social media platforms, defining them as telemedia service providers which operate platforms on the Internet for profit. Factsheet Germany Find more follow up information on the project and further factsheets → here Contact: Meike Büscher
