platform work

Platform work in the V4 and Western Balkans is rapidly expanding but remains weakly regulated, creating risks for workers and social systems. Authored by Silke Maes, a research fellow at the EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy, and financed by Stiftung Mercator, this final report calls for region-specific reforms to strengthen legal frameworks, enforcement, worker protection, and data collection, supported by broader cooperation at national and EU levels.

This background paper, written by EUROPEUM Institute researcher Silke Maes as part of the Platform Revolution project, provides an overview of the evolving landscape of platform work in Czechia. It explores the rapid growth of digital labor platforms since the arrival of Uber in 2014, mapping the types, prevalence, and demographic characteristics of platform workers across the country. Drawing on recent survey data, the paper highlights both the opportunities and challenges posed by platform work—including flexibility, supplementary income, and the risks of precarious employment and regulatory gaps. The paper also examines the current legal and policy framework in Czechia, the discussions around the EU Platform Work Directive, and ongoing debates around worker classification, tax compliance, and social protection.

These background papers, produced by EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy as part of the Platform Revolution project, provide an in-depth analysis of the evolving landscape of platform work in North Macedonia, Poland, Serbia, Montenegro, Hungary, Albania and Slovakia. They explore the rapid growth of digital labor platforms, mapping the types, prevalence, and demographic characteristics of platform workers across the countries.