EU lawmakers, countries reach deal on gig workers’ rights at second attempt

EU lawmakers and governments struck a watered-down deal on Thursday on the rights of workers at Uber, Deliveroo and other online companies.

The two sides had reached a provisional agreement in December but subsequent opposition from France, Ireland, Greece, Lithuania and other countries torpedoed the deal, forcing legislators back to the negotiating table.

The preliminary deal clinched on Thursday between EU lawmakers and Belgium, current holder of the EU rotating presidency, does away with a set of criteria proposed by the European Commission to determine whether an online company is an employer, following lobbying from the companies and criticism from some countries.

Instead national law, collective agreements and case law will dictate whether a worker is an employee, in effect maintaining the status quo.

Governments will also define the employment...