"Collaborative platforms, such as Airbnb, Blablacar and Peerby, have changed the ways in which goods and services are offered and consumed in the economy. There has been a recent growth in studies analysing the drivers, impacts and scope of the collaborative economy. Some of them point to positive environmental impacts of such platforms. However, none of the studies so far have provided a systematic, qualitative and quantitative analysis of the impacts. This study fills this gap by answering two questions: (1) What is the environmental impact of the collaborative economy today and in the...

"This study assesses the business environment affecting the collaborative economy across six themes (accommodation, transport, finance, public administration, business support and alignment) in the 28 EU Member States. The study has established indicators to measure the main features affecting the development of the collaborative economy. It has developed a “Collaborative Economy Index” to benchmark the business environment. Based on the Index results, the study puts forward suggestions for the further development of the collaborative economy in the EU. The study concludes that there is no...

This study aims to answer three main research tasks:

- Identify key succes factors as wel as issues hindering the development of industrial symbiosis
- Assess policy actions that support industrial symbiosis at different levels
- Assess the feasibility and options of EU-level interventions to contribute to scaling up and promoting IS initiatives across Europe or an EU-level trading platform for secondary raw materials (p. 10)

"This report is presented in two parts: The first is the summary report of the Government Chief Scientific Adviser. This was developed as a result of seminars and the advice of the experts who provided the source of the evidence. The second part, the evidence, has been gathered from and written by a distinguished group of experts. The evidence takes two forms: chapters that consider a major aspect of the waste and resource productivity landscape; and individual case studies that illuminate points of detail and principle. The evidence section provides the views of the experts themselves,...

If we want to enjoy the benefits of technological innovation and access to the services that electronic devices bring, we need to create an electronics system that works. This paper offers an initial overview of how the principles of a circular economy could be applied to the electronics industry, where the...

"The 2016 report of the Eco-Innovation Observatory  Policies and Practices for Eco-Innovation Uptake and Circular Economy Transition discusses the role of policy for eco-innovation in the circular economy transition. It looks at the present framework conditions fostered by European policies and how the circular economy concept is being embedded in a current policy context at the EU level and in the Member States. It also discusses the bottom-up and top-down circular economy challenges. 32 good practice examples of circular economy oriented eco-innovations and initiatives from the EU Member...

"Sustainable development is firmly anchored in the European Treaties and has been at the heart of European policy for a long time. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted by the UN General Assembly in September 2015, gives a new impetus to global efforts for achieving sustainable development. The EU is fully committed to playing an active role to maximise progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. This publication marks the beginning of Eurostat’s regular monitoring of progress towards the SDGs in an EU context. The...

The article provides some theoretical definitions of PSS and describes barriers and drivers to engaging in PSS economies.

This paper targets businesses who aspire to transition to a more circular model. The paper advocates for and describes a circular business model (or rather collection of business models) and tran-sition tool called the Value Hill. The value hill provides businesses with detailed information regarding how to best transition to a circular model as well as nuanced descriptions of best practice options. A key component of the Value hill is Network Organization which is an overarching concept/model/tool that encourages increased efficiency and circularity through collaborative partnerships and...