The regulation of collaborative economy in the european union

Abstract

The paper distinguishes between sharing economy and collaborative economy, focusing on the legal framework of collaborative platforms (such as Uber or Airbnb) according to EU law. Case-law from the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) and the position of the European Commission are analyzed in this regard. It is concluded that there is no harmonization, within the European Union, of the legal regime applicable to certain collaborative platforms. As such, specific regulation of collaborative platforms has followed different paths within the Member States.