Webinar on
Background: On June 30th 2020, the European Commission announced via Press Release that it was
launching a process to address the issue of collective bargaining for the self-employed. In addition to
undertaking some information gathering, the Commission also invited all interested stakeholders to
submit their views via the relevant questions included in Section V of the current Digital Services Act
consultation, open until September 8th. The application of competition rules to collective bargaining on
behalf of self-employed workers has long been a major issue in the Media, Arts and Entertainment
sector, resulting in the exclusion of certain professionals in the sector from collective bargaining that
would set sustainable rates of pay. FIA, FIM and UNI MEI have persistently advocated for such
collective bargaining as a vital tool and the most adapted mechanism for setting decent wages in the
Media, Arts and Entertainment sector. This webinar aims to better understand the opportunity now
provided by the current consultation, open to all trade unions across Europe, and the outcomes that we
hope will be achieved.
Session 1: 10.30am to 11.15am (0pen Session for all registered participants)
10.30: Words of Welcome and Introduction, Dearbhal Murphy, FIA
10.35: Isabel Pereira Alves, Enforcement Unit, DG Competition, European Commission:

Isabel Pereira Alves will explore the background to this process on collective bargaining for self-
employed; what the Commission hopes to achieve via this consultation and what the likely next steps

will be in the coming months and in the wake of the DSA Consultation.
10.50: Isabelle Schömann, Confederal Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation:
Isabelle Schömann will outline the relevance of this process across the whole of the European labour
market and its diverse sectors of activity. She will explore what it must seek to achieve and what pitfalls
are to be avoided.
Q&A – only submitted via the chat box – will be addressed by speakers, time permitting.
11.15: Coffee Break (make your own!) until 11.30
Session 2: 11.30am to 12.15am (Closed Session for affiliates of FIA, FIM and UNI MEI)
11.30: Section V of the Digital Services Act Consultation
This closed session will be led by the secretariats of the three Federations and will aim to offer a
comprehensive introduction to the Questions in Section V of the DSA Questionnaire pertaining to
Collective Bargaining, as well as key elements for consideration in submitting a response to the
questionnaire.
All participants are welcome to take the floor for an open Q&A and exchange of views.
12.15: Webinar ends