The Role of Cities and Regions in the European Access Economy
Online | 12th of June 2025The Access Economy offers an innovative and sustainable alternative to ownership, reducing material consumption and fostering community sharing. Rather than purchasing new items that often see minimal use, citizens can access goods through borrowing, renting, or sharing initiatives. This model not only limits the depletion of natural resources but also promotes equal access to for instance essential household items, or sports equipment.
Across Europe, numerous initiatives have already demonstrated the benefits of shifting towards access over ownership. In this webinar, we will showcase insights and experiences from cities that have successfully implemented sharing and rental models.
A crucial role for cities and regions
Cities and regions play a crucial role in enabling and scaling the Access Economy. Through innovative policies, partnerships, and digital solutions, local governments can create infrastructures that encourage shared consumption. Across Europe, numerous initiatives have already demonstrated the benefits of shifting towards access over ownership. In this webinar, we will showcase insights and experiences from leading European projects, cities, and providers that have successfully implemented sharing and rental models.
This session will provide valuable insights for policymakers, urban planners, sustainability advocates, and citizens interested in fostering sustainable consumption models. By sharing practical experiences from successful projects across Europe, we aim to inspire new initiatives and policy developments that support the Access Economy at the city and regional levels. We welcome all stakeholders to join us in this engaging and impactful discussion.
Session format
The webinar will begin with a brief introduction to the Access Economy concept, followed by presentations from each speaker highlighting their respective projects. We will then move into an interactive panel discussion, allowing for a deeper dive into key themes and challenges. The session will conclude with an open Q&A, inviting attendees to engage with the speakers and explore opportunities for their own cities and regions.
Key discussion points are:
- The environmental and social benefits of the Access Economy
- The role of local and regional governments in fostering sharing initiatives
- Best practices and their impact on communities
- Challenges and opportunities in scaling Access Economy models
- Policy recommendations for cities and regions to support circular consumption
Featured speakers (tbc)
We bring together experts and practitioners from across Europe who have implemented Access Economy solutions in their cities and regions. Our esteemed speakers (tbc) will share their experiences and lessons learned from several European projects:
- Tove Lund(City of Gothenburg, Sweden) – Sharing Cities Sweden
- Lieven D’Hont(Wij Delen, Belgium) – Green Deal Rental & Sharing
- Johanna Järvinen(Miskei, Finland) – Developing Collaborative Consumption in South Savo
- Veronique D’Haeyer(City of Sint-Niklaas, Belgium)
- Tim Roesler(Wandsbek District, City of Hamburg, Germany)
A Digital Kiosks session
The organisation of this webinar is done as part of Digital Kiosks, an Interreg North Sea project, co-funded by the European Union.
