25As to the concept of worker, it must be borne in mind that, according to settled case-law, it may not be interpreted differently according to each national law but has a Community meaning. That concept must be defined in accordance with objective criteria which distinguish the employment relationship by reference to the rights and duties of the persons concerned. The essential feature of an employment relationship is that, for a certain period of time, a person performs services for and under the direction of another person, in return for which he receives remuneration (see, in particular, Case 66/85 Lawrie-Blum [1986] ECR 2121, paragraphs 16 and 17; Case C-176/96 Lehtonen and Castors Braine [2000] ECR I-2681, paragraph 45; Case C-138/02 Collins [2004] ECR I-2703, paragraph 26; Case C-456/02 Trojani [2004] ECR I-7573, paragraph 15; and Case C-392/05 Alevizos [2007] ECR I-3505, paragraph 67).
Source: EUR-Lex, © European Union, 1998-2026. Reuse authorised under Decision 2011/833/EU.