Amsterdam sharing economy action plan Shaping a sharing economy that works

Overview

The need - Sharing economy solutions can drive new business opportunities and generate social benefits. However, if not managed appropriately in relation to the local context, unintended negative consequences might arise - such as a reduction in long-term rental accommodation availability.

The solution - Amsterdam’s Sharing Economy Action Plan outlines five pillars to focus on: supporting pilot projects, leading by example, extending the sharing economy to all Amsterdam residents, developing rules and regulations, and establishing a sharing city. It addresses multiple opportunity areas including housing, office space and product sharing, and transport.

The outcomes - The action plan supports Amsterdam to ensure:

• This new market has the freedom to innovate and grow
• The city’s citizens and visitors, and businesses have increased access and use of resources in the city
• Unintended adverse effects are mitigated

How does the initiative support the transition to a circular economy? - The sharing economy opens up opportunities to make better use of materials and resources. This happens at the community level where sharing platforms such as Peerby make sharing of things possible. By making better use of existing resources, fewer products need to be produced and processed as waste.