The platform revolution: shaping the future of work in the EU and Western Balkans

The Project centres around the fast development of platform work in the Western Balkans (WB) and the EU. This new phenomenon has witnessed fast growth since the pandemic, particularly with digital platforms like “Upwork”. Factors such as flexibility, the promise of better opportunities for a decent income, and high unemployment rates in the WBs have fuelled the popularity of platform work in the regions. While the EU has taken some steps to regulate the upcoming economy through the Platform Work Directive, legislative action in the WB has been slow and fragmented.

The goal of the project is threefold. Firstly, it aims to map platform work in the WB and V4, providing a detailed description of its features, driving factors with benefits and challenges, and the current regulatory landscape. Secondly, the project seeks to build a network of organisations focused on sustainable platform work. Thirdly, we will develop policy recommendations for the WB and the EU enlargement policy in the field of labour market post-accession risks (further fastening of migration and brain drain). The underlying idea is that to ensure sustainability; future EU enlargement should go beyond institutional and economic reforms to include social and labour market changes. Focusing on the V4 region allows for shared insights on mitigating labour market risks post-accession and addressing the challenges of migration and brain drain.

Activities:
To achieve our goals, we will organise a series of events aimed at fostering discussion and exchanging experiences and ideas for legal and policy action.