Funded by the European Union via the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Regional Directorate of Economy, Employment, Labour and Solidarity (DREETS) and the Hauts-de-France Region, the PlatformCoop project is a project to support the emergence and development of cooperative platforms. These online cooperatives are collective initiatives that address social, ecological or economic concerns in the Hauts-de-France region, while offering alternatives to traditional platforms.
PlatformCoop: a solidarity response to digital drifts
With the health crisis linked to the Covid-19, the use of online platforms intensified, which revealed their limitations. Degraded working conditions, an unsustainable economic model and uncontrolled environmental impact, are all problems caused by the over-use of online platforms. The National Health Security Agency (Anses) has also denounced the working conditions within some of these platforms, which endanger the physical and mental health of these workers, who are also not provided with sufficient social protection.
In view of this, cooperative and solidarity platforms and solidarity economy platforms have developed. Ethics, responsible, and carried by Local actors engagedThese new platforms are distinguished by their citizens' approach and innovative economic model. These structures aim to putting digital technology at the service of the common goodby promoting local digital sovereignty and the use of open source software (free and open code), while respecting the personal data of each user.
These platforms address several concrete issues:
They address several concrete issues:
- Local employment (via linking recruiters and job seekers),
- Environmental transition (carbon footprint reduction, soft logistics),
- Food resilience and the social link (short circuits, citizen mobilization around the local economy).
A committed player in a cooperative economy
The OurDeclics website highlights these platforms which pursue the objective of an ecological and solidarity-based transition. Projects supported, inter alia, by theApes, Acteurs Pour une Economie Solidaire des Hauts-de-France, an association aimed at promoting the solidarity economy in the territories. The project was launched by Apes « PlatformCoop Nord-Pas de Calais 2022-2023 » which was the first phase of the project, having built a training course for local and regional authorities, about ten, to create two open and open code applications, as well as a web portal and a network of solidarity economy initiatives based on digital platforms. Current « Platforms in solidarity economy » (2024-2025), which is the second phase of the project, pursues the objective of improving these platforms by, in particular, accompanying the local authorities again.
Court-Circuit and Lille.Bike – concrete cooperative projects
For example, the platform « Court-Circuit » promote local and responsible consumption by allowing consumers to buy quality products directly from producers or cooperatives in their region, thereby reducing intermediaries and carbon footprint. Lille.Bike It also offers environmental and economic delivery services.
But many more are to be discovered on the site OurDeclics.
What about Europe?
On a European scale, 18 months of exploration on the cooperative platforms in Brussels, Barcelona and Berlin was carried out by the SMART cooperative, in partnership with the Saw-B association and Facecoop. As part of this work, Apes was in contact with Barcelona Activa, a local development agency, and Saw-B.
Solidarity co-operative platforms therefore address problems by providing beneficial solutions in several areas, including the environment. If you're interested, don't hesitate to get closer to EPAS to learn more and contribute to these meaningful initiatives.
Other Interphaz projects
In this same logic of active citizenship andappropriation of European issuesInterphaz is also involved in other initiatives.
The project Europe & Youth, carried out in partnership with the associations L-Etablissement and URHAJ, aims to raise awareness among young people in the European Union through playful teaching tools. Another way to popularise Europe and make it a concrete lever for action and understanding for the citizens of tomorrow.
Discover this other project: HERE.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) – To go further
What is the ERDF, which finances the Platform Coop project?
The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) is a programme aimed at reducing inequalities of development between the different regions of the EU. With an envelope of EUR 200 billion over the period 2021-2027, the ERDF finances a multitude of projects across Europe.
What is Open Source software, often used by cooperative platforms?
Open Source software is a code designed to collaborative to be publicly accessible. This ensures more transparency on the platform and its functioning, while facilitating access to dedicated developers who will be able to improve the code and quickly respond to potential security vulnerabilities of the platform.
Which sectors/subjects are covered by cooperative platforms?
There is a multitude of cooperative platforms to respond to a multitude of problems. Here are some examples in France:
- CoopCircuits : sale and purchase of local and craft products in short circuit
- Mobicoop : carpooling site, without commission taken by the platform
- The Passage Birds : tools and guides to discover a territory and its inhabitants, including via temporary hospitality
