Regulating the Gig Economy in the European Union: Challenges, Innovations, and Global Impacts

The rise of the gig economy transforms labor markets across the European Union, offering flexible work opportunities while raising concerns about job security, workers' rights, and social protections. As digital platforms mediate short-term, on-demand work, traditional labor laws struggle to keep pace with this changing landscape. In response, the EU explores regulatory frameworks addressing gig work, ensuring fair treatment, and clarifying the employment status of platform workers. Further exploration of the challenges and approaches involved in regulating the gig economy within the EU may reveal new legal reforms, policies, and worker protection rights for organizations. Regulating the Gig Economy in the European Union: Challenges, Innovations, and Global Impacts examines how the gig economy disrupts traditional labor frameworks across the European Union. By integrating legal, economic, political, and sociocultural perspectives, it analyzes the impacts of platform work on employment rights, governance, social protection, and regulation. This book covers topics such as labor markets, business governance, and political science, and is a useful resource for business owners, policymakers, government officials, academicians, researchers, and scientists.

Rui Alexandre Castanho holds an International Ph.D. on Sustainable Planning in Borderlands. Nowadays, he is a Vice-Dean for Sustainable Development at the WSB University, Poland, and a visitor Professor at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. He is an European Climate Pact Ambassador. Besides, he completed a post-doc researcher on the GREAT Project, University of Azores, Ponta Delgada, Portugal. Furthermore, he collaborates with the ECIDES Research Group - University International of La Rioja (UNIR), Spain; Vice-Coordinator of VALORIZA - Research Center for the Enhancement of Endogenous Resources, Polytechnic Institute of Portalegre (IPP), Portugal; CITUR - Madeira - Centre for Tourism Research, Development and Innovation, Madeira, Portugal (Researcher); and AQUAGEO Research Group - University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Brazil. Moreover, he has Graduated in Green Spaces Engineering and Agricultural Engineering and holds a Master's Degree in Planning, Audit, and Control in Urban Green Spaces. He is also the author and/or editor of 30 books, more than a 150 indexed peer review papers, 90 indexed book chapters, 90 conference papers, and made several presentations worldwide academic events as keynote speaker. Also, he was awarded the Doctor Honoris Causa title in Lima-Peru by (UPCI).

Fabricio Piurcosky has a Postdoctoral degree in Social Sciences, Politics, and Territory from the University of Aveiro (2022); PhD in Administration from the Federal University of Lavras (2020); Specialist in Innovation and Business Communication from the Polytechnic Institute of Porto – Portugal (2015); Master’s degree from the Federal University of São João del-Rei (2013); MBA in Information Technology Management (2007); Specialist in Computer Networks (2005); and Bachelor's degree in Computer Science (2003) from the Centro Universitário do Sul de Minas. Coordinator of the Research Department at the Unis Educational Group. He also teaches in postgraduate programs at Universidad Científica del Sur.

Dr. Andrey Kinyakin is a political scientist specializing in comparative politics and international political economy. He holds a Ph.D. and has served as a Visiting Associate Professor at the University of Potsdam in Germany . His academic career includes positions at the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University) and the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA).

Mario de Martino has earned a PhD in Comparative Politics from the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), a post-graduate master in European Interdisciplinary Studies from the College of Europe (Natolin campus) and a Master degree in International Studies from the University of Siena. His main research interests focus on European studies and education policy. Mario De Martino has extensive experience both in the policy and programmatic dimensions of EU education policies. From 2010 until 2012, worked as a project officer at the Executive Agency for Education and Culture of the European Commission in Brussels (Belgium). In 2012, he worked as a project officer at the International Association of Higher Education Institutions (EURASHE), which is one of the consultative members of the Bologna Follow-Up Group. Since 2012, he has worked a project manager and teaching staff in more than 50 Erasmus+ projects (including Erasmus+ ICM, Jean Monnet Actions and Capacity Building in the field of Higher Education).

Rodrigo Franklin Frogeri holds a Ph.D. in Information Systems and Knowledge Management from FUMEC University, Brazil (2019). He also holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration (2014) and three specializations: Information Technology Management (2011), Higher Education Teaching (2005), and Computer Networks (2003). He earned his bachelor’s degree in Computer Science in 2001. Currently, he is a professor in the Master’s Program in Management and Regional Development at Centro Universitário do Sul de Minas (UNIS-MG), Brazil, and in the Master’s Program in Data Science at Universidad Científica del Sur, Peru. At UNIS-MG specialization programs, he has taught courses including Software Engineering with Java, Application Development for Mobile Devices, Computer Network Technologies and Management, Cybersecurity and Computer Forensics, Information Technology Management, and Information Technology Governance. Currently, he teaches courses in Big Data and Competitive Intelligence, Strategic Management of Information Technology, and Data Science and Artificial Intelligence. At Universidad Científica del Sur (Peru), he teaches in the Data Science specialization program. He is the Editor-in-Chief of Mythos Journal (ISSN: 1984-0098). Additionally, he is a Research Productivity Fellow of FAPEMIG (Research Support Foundation of the State of Minas Gerais) and CNPq (National Council for Scientific and Technological Development). His main research lines are Organizational Ambidexterity; IT Ambidexterity; Innovation Management; Information Technology Governance in Small and Medium Enterprises; Knowledge Management; Knowledge Diplomacy. As a reviewer, he has been actively acting in Brazilian and international publishers as well as International Conferences.