The European Union and its Member States, in a closing statement at the International Labour Conference (ILC) on 11 June 2026, expressed deep regret over the procedure that led to the planned Convention on decent work in the platform economy, calling it a departure from tripartism and social dialogue. The EU nonetheless welcomed the Convention as an important step forward for improving working conditions and data rights for digital platform workers, while noting that a Recommendation could not be concluded.
The statement, delivered on behalf of the EU and its Member States at the ILC's 114th session (1–12 June 2026), criticised the process that presented governments with an agreement from social partners as a fait accompli, denying them meaningful engagement. The EU stressed that this should not set a precedent for future discussions in the tripartite institution.
Despite procedural concerns, the EU highlighted several positive elements in the Convention. It provides Member States flexibility to implement the instrument according to their national systems for classifying employment relationships. The EU will now conduct a diligent analysis to determine appropriate measures for possible ratification. The Convention maintains the obligation for correct classification of digital platform workers, referencing the principle of the primacy of facts to combat misclassification and bogus self-employment.
The Convention addresses algorithmic management as a defining feature of platform work, ensuring transparency, fairness, and accountability. It establishes the principle of human review for decisions that severely affect workers, helping to mitigate risks such as constant monitoring, privacy breaches, opaque decision-making, and hidden forms of control.
The EU thanked the ILO Office for its work over the past two years and expressed hope that the Governing Body would follow up on the unfinished Recommendation as soon as possible. The statement aligns with Norway.
The Convention gives EU Member States flexibility to adapt their labour laws, potentially reducing administrative burden but requiring legislative adjustments. Digital platform workers stand to gain clearer employment status, algorithmic transparency, and human oversight of automated decisions. Platform companies face new compliance costs related to classification and algorithmic accountability, which may increase operational expenses. The ILO's credibility as a tripartite institution is affected by the procedural criticism, which could influence future standard-setting processes.