On 8 December 2022, ministers of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council were able to make progress regarding important issues concerning the European Pillar of Social Rights – for example in the fight against asbestos at the workplace or in respect of long-term care. However, the Council has not been able to adopt a common position for platform work. But there was positive news regarding this issue from the EU Parliament, where the Employment Committee adopted its report on 12 December 2022.

Digital transformation and associated technical innovations require adapted standards of protection for consumers. With regard to Artificial Intelligence (AI), the EU Commission has now presented a proposal for a Directive, which lays down special liability rules for damages caused by AI systems. This will pursue the target to enable victims to gain easy access to compensation.

On 23 April 2022, EU Parliament and Council reached a provisional political agreement on the Digital Services Act (DSA). Together with the Digital Markets Act, the DSA is to set standards for a safe and more open digital space for users as well as equal competitive conditions for enterprises.

This open letter of the Austrian Chamber of Labour (AK) is asking the Members of the European Parliament for a high level of consumer protection, that is particularly important to us for all products and services that are based on algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI) and that consumers come into contact with. We are notably committed to ensuring that they are given the best protection against the erosion of their basic rights and freedoms, lack of transparency, discrimination, and other risks of damage caused by such analysis software.
 

This open letter from AK President Renate Anderl and ÖGB President Wolfgang Katzian is addressed to the members of the EU Parliament, as key decision-makers in the negotiations on the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act. It is important that AI as a technology is regulated at the European level. However, the AI law must allow member states to maintain existing labor (constitutional) law provisions and to experiment with national regulations (collective agreements) on AI in the workplace. Clarification before a decision is made in the law is absolutely necessary.

The agreement on the Digital Markets Act sets clear rules for large online platforms. They shall ensure that no large online platform that acts as a “gatekeeper” for a large number of users abuses its position to the detriment of companies wishing to access such users.

AK EUROPA, together with European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) and the Austrian Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection (BMSGPK) organised a webinar on consumer protection as an integral part of trustworthy Artificial Intelligence.

Event jointly organised by Austrian Federal Chamber of Labour (AK EUROPA), the Austrian Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection (BMSGPK) and The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC).

Trustworthy AI? Not without Consumer Protection!
 

Input for the Webinar by Walter Peissl
(Austrian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Technology Assessment - ITA)

Carried out in 14 states, including Austria, a new survey by the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) once more confirms that low earning opportunities are accompanied by high fluctuation and short, fragmented working periods of online and platform workers at the same time. On 17 February 2022, this issue took centre stage at a large ETUI conference.