ILO supports technical exchanges between EU and China on extending social protection coverage for platform workers

BEIJING, China (ILO News) - The International Labour Organization (ILO), in the context of the EU-China Project “Improving China’s institutional capacity towards universal social protection (Phase 2)”, funded by the European Union, organized a study visit to Europe aiming at having technical exchanges with EU Members States (Belgium and Spain) and European Commission around the common challenge of extending social protection coverage for platform workers. The Chinese delegation was led by Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS) of China and included representatives of All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU) and Chinese Enterprise Confederation (CEC) and lead researchers of Chinese Academy of Labour and Social Security (CALSS). 

Since platform economy is a relatively new phenomenon on a global scale, many countries are facing the challenge of extending social protection coverage for platform workers. China, as one of the main examples worldwide of the platform economy - a sector that currently employs more than 84 million workers in China according to the most recent estimates - intends to adapt its social protection system to improve coverage of this important part of the population. With the technical and financial support of the ILO through the project financed by the European Union, two studies are underway, led by CALSS – the research arm and think tank of MOHRSS, on how to improve the coverage of the social protection system in China for platform workers in terms of old-age pensions and unemployment insurance.

Considering the relevant and extensive experience of Belgium and Spain in extending social security coverage for those platform workers and the self-employed in recent years, the project supported the study visit during the week of 2-7 June 2024, making it possible for the Chinese delegation to meet with DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL) of the European Commission, where more information about the new Directive on improving working conditions in platform work, approved by the European Parliament in April 2024, was shared with delegates, the Federal Public Service-Social Security of Belgium, Belgian Transport Union (BTB-ABVV), Spanish Workers (UGT and CCOO) and Employers (CEOE and CEPYME) at Economic and Social Council (CES) of Spain and Ministry of Labour and Social Economy, jointly with Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration of Spain. The Chinese delegation also met ILO Offices in Brussels and Madrid.

© ILO

It is expected that the technical exchanges made possible by this study visit and the information gathered by the Chinese delegates considering the practice in EU Member States on that regard, will ultimately feed the on-going research that CALSS is leading, which could eventually lead to policy reforms to improve the coverage of platform workers in China in the coming years, towards universal coverage of its social protection system.