Das Projekt "Oeko-Dienstleistungen fuer eine nachhaltige Entwicklung in der Europaeischen Union" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von IZT - Institut für Zukunftsstudien und Technologiebewertung gemeinnütziger GmbH durchgeführt. The central idea is that an intelligent distribution of rights of ownership and use creates an incentive to pursue strategies of increased durability, use, reuse and recycling of products which contribute to relieving environmental stress but have so far been mostly neglected. Four research institutes as well as 16 enterprises and four consumer associations shall form a partnership aimed at comparing and analysing experiences with eco-services and their ecological and economic potential in Germany, the Netherlands, Austria and Spain, to look at their use and application in the EU. The objectives are following: 1) A comparison between countries is to be make taking into account whether, to what extent and under which economic, legal, environment-political and social conditions leasing, pooling and sharing concepts for services can contribute to the sustainable use of consumer goods, 2) Regional and national differences in the application and acceptance of ecologically relevant leasing, pooling and sharing services shall be brought out by means of case studies in cooperation with suppliers of eco-services and made applicable for the European environmental and economic policies, 3) Analyses shall be carried out by means of consumer questioning in cooperation with consumer associations in order to asses how the consumers acceptance of ecological services can be increased, 4) Furthermore, it shall be examined to which product groups such concepts can be applied in a way that makes ecological, economic and social sense. Based on these findings scenarios shall be developed in order to show the ways and measures for a sustainable product use in the EU and the effects with regard to ecological relief and employment, 5) The main objective of the study is to draw up proposals for a further application of eco-services in the EU. A consistent bundle of tools and measures for the support and freeing of the ecological and economic potential regarding leasing, pooling and sharing concepts adapted to the relevant groups of actors such as enterprises, consumers, trade and policies in the EU shall also be developed.