News of the European Social Economy
SEN#36January 2025
Launch of the GSEF World Forum in Bordeaux 2025
By Benoît Hamon, President of ‘ESS France’ and former Minister Delegate for the Social and Solidarity Economy of the French Republic
"Today, when we mention the SSE, we realize that it eludes rationality. For example, the cumulative sales of the cooperative economy in France amount to 380 billion euros. According to the French National Bank, the sales of the French start-ups represent 25 billion euros. 15 times more for cooperatives than for start-ups. Do we have the feeling that public policies devote 15 times more energy, means, resources and borrowing capacity to cooperatives than to start-ups?"
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The European Parliament renews the Social Economy Intergroup, adding services of general interest
The European Parliament has officially renewed the Social Economy Intergroup, which in this legislature will be called the Integrated Group on Social Economy and Services of General Interest (IG 10-23). Active since 1990, the Social Economy Intergroup has been instrumental in major recent achievements at European level, including the adoption of the European Social Economy Action Plan, approved in December 2021.
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Deadline extended until 31 January for the submission of papers for the 10th CIRIEC- International Research Conference on Social Economy - Bordeaux, 2025
The 10th CIRIEC International Research Conference on Social Economy will be held from 27-29 October 2025 in the city of Bordeaux, France, under the theme ‘The role of the Social and Solidarity Economy in the socio-ecological transition’. This event, to be held at Sciences Po Bordeaux, represents a key platform for academics, researchers and practitioners seeking to explore the impact and contributions of the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) to contemporary major challenges.
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CIRIEC and EURICSE present the new report on the Social Economy in the EU on 7 February in Brussels
CIRIEC and the European Research Institute on Cooperative and Social Enterprises (EURICSE) will present the new report on the Social Economy in the EU at an event organised by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) in Brussels on 7 February. The report, promoted by the European Commission in the framework of the Social Economy Action Plan, puts the number of people employed in the Social Economy in the EU at 11.5 million, through 4.3 million enterprises and organisations.
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Call for Submission of Activities for the 6th University Week of Social Economy, 2025
Following the success of previous editions, with the participation of 40 universities and more than 5,000 people in 150 activities during the last edition, the ENUIES Network of CIRIEC-Spain once again calls on Centers, Institutes, Chairs, and other research structures in Social Economy to celebrate the 6th University Week of Social Economy. This event will take place from March 24 to April 2, 2025, inclusive. CIRIEC encourages all research structures to participate in the SE University Week by submitting proposals by March 4.
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European Commission launches the EU Proximity and Social Economy Platform
The objective of this platform is to create an integrated support mechanism that facilitates collaboration, knowledge sharing, and capacity building among stakeholders in the proximity and social economy ecosystem, in line with the goals of the Transition Pathway. The PSE Platform is part of the European Commission's broader initiative to drive the transformation towards a more sustainable, digital, resilient, and globally competitive economy.
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The ICA encourages "building a better world" in 2025, the UN-declared International Year of Cooperatives
On January 16, the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) published a statement marking the beginning of 2025, the International Year of Cooperatives. This second international year dedicated to the cooperative business model —the first was in 2012—aims to recognize and promote Cooperatives and the Social Economy for their contribution to creating a fairer and more equal world.
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European Commission's campaign “Social Economy Voices”
One of the goals of the Social Economy Action Plan adopted by the European Commission is to raise awareness of the social economy and its potential. In this context the Commission has launched a campaign called “Social Economy Voices”. It aims to raise awareness about the potential of the social economy and its actors by giving voice to social workers and professionals who share their experiences and initiatives through short videos.
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‘Social Platform’ warns that European Commission’s new appointments should not overlook social progress
‘Social Platform’, the European representative NGO Platform, has issued a manifesto concerning the appointments of the new European Commission and the policies being outlined in this new mandate of the Union. According to the document, while the Platform pleased to see some of its “vision for a more social Europe realised in the nomination process, barriers to social progress still threaten to overshadow these wins.”
Read moreSocial Economy Schedule
ICA CCR 2025 Global Research Conference - July 8-11, Montréal, Canada
The ICA CCR Global Research Conference 2025 will bring together numerous stakeholders from the international cooperative ecosystem, including practicioners and policymakers. In addition to discussing the role of cooperatives in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals, the conference will also be a great opportunity to explore topics related to cooperation, including cooperative governance, business models, and education. Hosted by the Institut international des coopératives Alphonse-et-Dorimène-Desjardins (IICADD), participants will enjoy the new state-of-the-art HEC Montréal Hélène-Desmarais building in downtown Montreal. The conference is organized in partnership with CASC (Canadian Association for Studies in Cooperation).
+info10th EMES International Research Conference on Social Enterprise
The EMES International Research Network, in partnership with the Rotterdam School of Management of Erasmus University and Utrecht University are pleased to announce the 10th EMES International Research Conference on Social Enterprise on the theme Scaling Through Communities: The Role of Social Entrepreneurs and Social Enterprises in Boosting Societal Transitions. The conference will take place from 3rd to 7th November 2025 and it promises to be a special edition in several ways.
+infoCIRIEC-Spain will hold its XX International Congress of Researchers in Social Economy from April 2 to 4, 2025, in Jaén
CIRIEC-Spain calls for participation in the 20th International Congress of Social Economy Researchers, which will take place in Jaén on 2, 3 and 4 April 2025, under the direction of Adoración Mozas, Professor at the University of Jaén, President of CIRIEC-Spain and Vice-president of CIRIEC International. The 20th Congress of CIRIEC-Spain marks the consolidation of a tradition of almost four decades, an achievement that reflects the continuity and relevance of CIRIEC’s research work in social economy, as well as the commitment of the academic and professional community to promote and strengthen this field in Spain and internationally.
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