Food delivery, ride apps to pay billions more in EU plan

Cyclists working for the food delivery services Deliveroo and Glovo ride their bikes in Madrid. Under the proposed rules, which are expected to be made public next week, any worker whose job is controlled by a digital platform can presume that they are an employee regardless of what they are called in their contract. — AFP

As many as 4.1 million people working through food delivery and ride-hailing apps could be reclassified as employees under a forthcoming European Union plan meant to improve gig workers’ labour rights.

The draft proposal, seen by Bloomberg News, could cost the sector up to €4.5bil (RM21.49bil) more a year, the EU estimates. It would likely give millions more workers for companies like Uber Technologies Inc, Deliveroo PLC and Bolt Technology OU access to minimum-wage and legal protections. Another 3.8 million workers would receive confirmation they are self-employed.