Human Times

European Edition

28th January 2026

THE HOT STORY

Uber drivers can be treated as independent entrepreneurs, Dutch court rules

A Dutch court has overturned a 2021 ruling that had classified all Uber drivers as employees, covered by the country's Taxi Transport collective bargaining agreement, which sets wages, working hours, and benefits for taxi drivers. The Amsterdam court said six drivers who had joined the rideshare company in its appeal are self-employed rather than employees, given the investments they made in their vehicle, their freedom to choose working hours, and their ability to accept or reject fares.

NL Times

DutchNews.nl

Reuters

WORKFORCE

Spain to grant legal status to immigrants without permission

Spain is to grant legal status to hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants, marking a shift from stricter immigration policies seen in the U.S. and Europe. Spanish Minister of Migration Elma Saiz said that eligible immigrants could receive up to one year of legal residency and work permission. The initiative could benefit around 500,000 to 800,000 individuals, primarily from Latin America and Africa. Saiz said the government is "dignifying and recognizing people who are already in our country."

Daily Sabah

LEGAL

University of Luxembourg commissions external audit into bullying claims

Workplace culture at the University of Luxembourg is to be subjected to an external audit following a series of allegations from staff of a “toxic working environment” at the institution. Higher Education Minister Stéphanie Obertin said the audit will take place in March. It will focus on the “HR department in the broader sense,” Rector Jens Kreisel said, and aim to find out whether the HR department's procedures are “clear enough” and “strong enough to pick up weak signals in such a large institution.”

Luxembourg Times

Fraud probe at German precious metals refiner

German prosecutors are investigating suspected embezzlement and fraud at precious metals refiner and industrial conglomerate Heraeus. The company has set aside nearly €458m ($537m) to cover potential risks. “Throughout this process, we have acted transparently, proactively notifying the relevant authorities. We are fully cooperating with them, and welcome further clarification of the matter,” a Heraeus spokesperson said. “Personnel consequences have been enacted, and further measures have been initiated to prevent recurrence.”

Mining.com

STRATEGY

Ubisoft aims to shed up to 200 staff

French video games company Ubisoft has announced plans to reduce its workforce by up to 200 employees at its Paris headquarters, representing about 5% of the firm's French staff. The decision follows a negative investor response to a major restructuring plan. The company has previously cut around 3,000 jobs globally, but few were in France. Ubisoft said: "There will be no final decision until a collective agreement has been reached with worker representatives." The restructuring aims to reorganise development studios into "creative houses" and includes a €200m cost-cutting initiative, alongside the cancellation and delay of several game titles.

France 24

TECHNOLOGY

The recruitment company training AI to do your job

Tens of thousands of professionals are joining Silicon Valley start-up Mercor to train large language models to do the work in the particular sectors that they are qualified in.

Financial Times

ECONOMY

EU and India seal trade pact to slash €4bn of tariffs on bloc’s exports

The EU and India have signed a sweeping trade agreement that will eliminate or reduce tariffs on 96.6% of EU exports to India, potentially doubling EU shipments and removing up to €4bn in duties. The deal, described by Brussels as its largest ever, cuts levies on European cars, machinery, alcohol, and food products, while excluding sensitive agricultural goods. Tariffs on EU wine will fall from 150% to 20%, and car duties will drop from 110% to 10% for up to 250,000 vehicles annually. The pact, aimed at strengthening economic ties amid global trade tensions, still requires approval from the EU parliament, member states, and India’s cabinet.

REGULATION

EU green rules fail to boost funds’ ESG credentials, research finds

New research suggests Europe’s flagship five-year-old Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation has failed to increase investment in “sustainable” funds or encourage fund managers to construct more environmentally friendly portfolios.

Financial Times

INTERNATIONAL

Guidance that expanded workplace protections for LGBTQ workers is scrapped

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s newly-established Republican majority has rescinded legal guidance that had strengthened protections against unlawful harassment for LGBTQ workers and women who have abortions. EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas emphasized that the commission’s decision “will not leave a void where employers are free to harass wherever they see fit, leaving a trail of victims in their wake.” Recently-installed Commissioner Brittany Panuccio added that private sector resources on anti-harassment law would fill any gaps. But critics said the move could discourage employers from preventing harassment and leave workers without recourse when they face it. "This action is likely to increase the amount of harassment that occurs in workplaces across the country," a dozen former EEOC and U.S. Department of Labor officials said in a joint statement.

AP News

Reuters

Singapore moves to safeguard against rogue AI agents

Singapore's Infocomm Media Development Authority has launched the Model AI Governance Framework for Agentic AI. The framework addresses risks associated with AI systems that can operate independently, such as unauthorised payments and data theft. Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo noted that while the framework is not fully developed, it establishes essential expectations for organisations. It emphasises the need for human accountability and limits on AI agents' access to tools. The framework aims to ensure safe AI deployment while fostering equitable knowledge among companies, including SMEs.

Straits Times

OTHER

Electric cars increase their share of EU market

Sales of new cars in the European Union rose by 1.8% last year but volumes remain well below pre-pandemic level. Electric cars increased their share of the market, from 13.6% a year earlier to 17.4%, while Tesla sales plummeted as it lost ground to China's BYD. Tesla's market share decreased from 3.5% to 2.2%. Petrol car sales fell by 18.7% in 2025.

The Guardian

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