The Association of Internet Workers was created in 2020 as a reaction to a Serbian Government’s notice requesting that all internet workers submit reports stating all income earned from 2015 on for taxation-related reasons. The notice implies that a person who had earned 500Eur per month over five years would have to pay at least 13,000Eur in taxes, in one instalment and within a 15-day deadline. The background for this measure is an overall lack of legislation on work for digital companies in a country that ranks 4th in Europe by digital workforce.
As a reaction to this notice, the Association of Internet Workers organised rapidly and took action by addressing the government, organising protests and seeking international support. While the Association agrees that taxes should be paid, it opposes the prohibitive rates and it has further demands around the lack of rights for Serbian workers in platform companies. The Association has the support of the two largest trade union organisations in Serbia, CATUS and TUC Nezavisnost.
In spring 2021, the Serbian Prime Minister announced a potential new round of negotiations. Aside from this announcement, some amendments of the Law on income taxes were already on the Parliament's agenda.