JWCPW project results presented at international conference in Vilnius: improving working conditions for Moldovan platform workers – a reality

On the 15th of April 2025 An international conference on “Platform economy and labour law: cross-border dialogue” took place in Vilnius to conclude the JWCPW (Protecting working conditions in the platform economy: Moldovan-Lithuanian social dialogue) project, funded by the European Commission from the European Social Fund+ (ESF+). The conference was attended by guests from the Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova (ASEM) and the National Employment Agency of Moldova (ANOFM).

The main achievements of the project were presented during the conference:

– Methodology to promote social dialogue between platform workers and employers in Moldova.

– Proposals for the reform of the Moldovan labour law to ensure social protection for platform workers in line with the principles of EU directives.

The conference was opened by the Associate Dean of the Faculty of Law of Vilnius University, Dr. Haroldas Šinkūnas, who stressed the importance of international cooperation for the advancement of labour rights. The project leader, Prof. Dr. Tomas Davulis, highlighted the importance of the project in strengthening the legal position of platform workers.

Agila Barzdienė, Vice-Minister of Innovation and Economy of Lithuania, discussed the impact of Directive (EU) 2024/2831 of the European Parliament and of the Council on Lithuania’s economic development and the importance of digitalisation for economic growth in her presentation.

Prof. Veaceslav Zaporojan, Dean of the Faculty of General Economics and Law at the Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova (ASEM), presented a paper on the importance of platform labour regulation for Moldova’s integration into the EU. He stressed that a clear legal status of workers and transparency of algorithmic management are prerequisites for modern industrial relations.

Lilia Plugaru, Deputy Head of the National Employment Agency of Moldova, analysed Moldova’s steps towards integration into the EU digital labour market, highlighting the main challenges: gaps in legal regulation, the digital divide between regions and the need to strengthen social guarantees for platform workers.

Prof. Grigore Belostecinic, PhD, Academician at the Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova (ASEM), spoke about the strategies and challenges for Moldovan freelancers in adapting to digital platforms. He stressed that flexibility and autonomy are the main motives for choosing to work via digital platforms, but also highlighted the precariousness of working conditions.

Rokas Keršys, Senior Adviser at the Lithuanian Ministry of Social Security and Labour, addressed the challenges of transposing the Platforms Directive into Lithuanian law. He highlighted the need to precisely define the status of workers, to regulate algorithmic management and to ensure collective rights of workers.

Tomas Stakėnas, representative of the State Tax Inspectorate under the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Lithuania, discussed the impact of digital platforms on the sharing economy and the challenges of tax administration, with a particular focus on the importance of data collection under the DAC7 Directive.

The conference discussions were attended by academics, lawyers and representatives of public authorities from Lithuania, Moldova and other countries. The main focus was on the legal protection of platform workers, transparency of algorithmic governance and collective bargaining.