A Polish delegation headed by Minister Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk attended the EPSCO Council meeting in Brussels, which started on Monday. One of the key items on the agenda on 11 March was a Directive on improving working conditions through online platforms. These include, for example, services for the delivery of shopping, food or passenger transport, which are also very popular in Poland.

Poland's position on the draft Directive was positive from the beginning.

I encourage all your ministers to support the project. The platform economy is a growing phenomenon and can be a positive one. But for it to be so, we cannot look only at the innovation and convenience of automated systems and applications. We need to see people and their work first and foremost and ensure they are properly protected. New technologies should be an opportunity, not a threat, both for the economy and for workers, argued Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk during the session.

When I took office a few months ago, I made a commitment that I will do my best to ensure that work in Poland is valued and safe. Every job. I am convinced that as labour ministers we all have a similar commitment. The solution proposed in the current wording of the draft Directive, in my deep conviction, responds to this challenge. We appreciate the efforts of the previous presidencies, the Belgian Presidency and the European Parliament in trying to find the best possible solutions for this Directive. Thank you for them and once again I encourage your ministers to support the draft, argued Polish Minister of Labour and Social Policy.

Finally, on 11 March, the Council adopted all solutions supported by Poland.

Congratulations to the Belgian Presidency. The efforts of previous presidencies and the European Parliament in reaching these solutions should also be appreciated. I hope that the agreement as it stands will be accepted by the required majority during the vote in the European Parliament, the head of the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy pointed out.

And she added: We will take preparatory actions for the implementation of the Directive into Polish law without undue delay. Bearing in mind the importance of this topic, we will initiate an early discussion within the Social Dialogue Council. This will ensure transparency and an opportunity for discussion among the social partners. I hope that this will contribute to the development of optimal solutions in terms of the freedom afforded to us by the provisions of this Directive.

The adoption of the Directive implies a number of changes in Polish law. It is crucial to develop national solutions regarding the rebuttable presumption of the existence of an employment relationship in the field of platform work. The Directive obliges Member States to implement this institution into national law outlining general guidelines. The details have to be worked out nationally. The presumption is intended to be effective and to facilitate the assertion of proper employment status.