Paris – 2 Jun 2016
The sharing economy in Europe has created jobs and economic growth opportunities despite the regulatory challenges it presents. That’s according to a new report from the European Commission called “A European Agenda for the Collaborative Economy.”
The long-anticipated guidelines, which seeks to clarify EU regulations as it applies to the sharing economy, are good news for several reasons:
- It is very supportive of the sharing economy;
- It encourages member states to apply existing legislation to collaborative economy platforms (instead of creating new rules);
- It advises member states to work at EU level to avoid regulatory fragmentation, which hampers the development of collaborative economy platforms; and
- It differentiates between cost-sharing models and remuneration-based models, clarifying that cost-sharing platforms users are not professionals making a profit.
In an interview with Le Temps, EU Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc noted that tough rules on sharing economy companies could harm the overall economic health of Europe.
“The sharing economy — which is not based on profit-making (BlaBlaCar, etc.) — should be treated differently, and not necessarily be subject to rules as rigid as profit-based sharing economy,” she told the Swiss newspaper.
The commission’s clear stance on the sharing economy is a welcomed move for Europe, home to many thriving collaborative economy platforms.
EU commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska — who oversees the internal market, industry, entrepreneurship, and small and medium enterprises — emphasized the potential in the sharing economy.
“The collaborative economy is an opportunity for consumers, entrepreneurs and businesses — provided we get it right,” she said.
With these latest developments, BlaBlaCar welcomes the encouraging support of the European Commission for the sharing economy!
Published: June 2, 2016