On 20 July 2026 the European Commission initiated a second-phase consultation of social partners under Article 154 TFEU on possible direction of EU action to improve working conditions, health and safety at work and implementation of workers’ rights – Quality Jobs Act. On 1 September 2026 the Commission launched a call for evidence for an impact assessment for the planned Quality Jobs Act.
Bitkom’s key positions include:
The EU should prioritise initiatives aimed at streamlining regulatory frameworks and fostering competitiveness. To this end, EU action should focus on simplifying labour legislation, for example through an additional omnibus package, and on implementing existing rules within the framework of the planned Quality Jobs Act.
In Bitkom’s view there is currently no need for additional AI specific labour legislation. Existing legislation – notably the AI Act, the General Data Protection Regulation and the Platform Work Directive – already provides comprehensive rules for the deployment and use of AI in the workplace, offering sufficient safeguards for workers' rights and safety. Before introducing new legislation, these frameworks must first be fully implemented and evaluated in terms of their effectiveness, practicality, and impact on European digital innovation and competitiveness.
Therefore, Bitkom is of the view that non-binding EU action within the planned Quality Jobs Act should focus on the effective implementation and enforcement of existing EU protections for workers as well as providing implementation guidelines and clarifying the interaction of existing EU rules.
The minimum requirements laid down in the annexes of the Workplace Directive should not apply to off-premises workplaces including telework. Employers cannot fully equip or effectively monitor compliance with occupational health and safety provisions in workplaces that are outside their legal control and premises.The planned Quality Jobs Act should refrain from regulating work arrangements in detail. Practice shows that collective agreements at sectoral or organisational level as well as individual work agreements are the most appropriate to lay down work arrangements on telework and a right to disconnect.
When it comes to working with subcontractors, the focus of EU action should be on targeted enforcement against actual abuse. The Quality Jobs Act should avoid broadly classifying sectors as high-risk, imposing automatic joint and several liability, and creating overlapping regulations for digital labour platforms. We propose introducing a clear and predictable framework for due diligence as an exoneration route. This would allow contractors to demonstrate due diligence, for example by pre-qualification checks, periodic compliance audits and the embedding of labour and OSH obligations in contracts, and exempt them from liability when these measures have been implemented.
