5.2

Following is a brief summary of the lines of action that we believe should form part of a strategy for the sound development of collaborative or participatory consumption. These measures should support, complement and monitor the consumer protection policy implemented by the Member States: a) A legal and tax framework for the activities covered by collaborative or participatory consumption by setting down and regulating, where appropriate, aspects such as liability, insurance, rights of use, rights protecting against planned obsolescence (13), ownership taxes, quality standards, the establishment of rights and obligations and, where appropriate, the removal of any restrictions and disguised barriers to intra-Community trade and any distortion of legislation. b) Dissemination, advocacy and public awareness-raising of collaborative or participatory consumption initiatives and of the individual and collective benefits they offer. Publicising the mandatory aspects of the existing legal framework for shared products, such as recycling, re-use, upgrading and sustainability). c) Information and guidance to consumers and users concerning responsible participation in the initiatives, promoting pilot projects and initiatives for collaborative consumption. d) Promotion of collaborative or participatory consumption through Shareable Cities schemes, shareable transport or other areas such as food, housing and even shareable work. e) Development of stable structures by creating platforms for the development of collaborative or participatory consumption, especially with regard to technology and networks. f) Boosting collaborative or participatory consumption and extending it by activating and giving impetus to the networks that are set up. g) Participation of the EU institutions in collaborative or shared consumption initiatives, both as a user and by making their own resources available. h) Civil society can play an active role in providing access to publicly-owned goods, in order to ensure the greatest possible take-up by society, by putting in place shareable collective infrastructure. i) It is proposed, moreover, that the action strategy be implemented specifically in the following fields: — Education: in schools, any measure should be proactive, in other words, work done with children from an early age should aim to instil and consolidate appropriate attitudes, habits and values in order to create collaborative consumption initiatives. — Associative consumption: networked consumer and user organisations can play a dual role in the strategy, both proactively by setting up initiatives and reactively by participating in them. — Cooperatives: cooperatives can become the main ally of collaborative or participatory consumption, because they combine and share principles and values. The cooperative movement can therefore strengthen initiatives, both proactively and reactively, as well as accommodating collaborative or participatory consumption networks with similar aims (14). Consumer cooperatives and what are known as Zero Kilometre cooperatives (15) are a prime example of something that is already a reality. — The general public: through being recruited and taking part in collaborative or participative consumption initiatives targeting them, the adult population and the general public may develop reactive behaviour that also serves to achieve personal fulfilment through integration and that boosts social cohesion by collectively sharing common assets.