News of the European Social Economy
SEN#9February 2022
Cooperatives Europe and the Action Plan on Social Economy
Susanne Westhausen, president of Cooperatives Europe
"The strength of Cooperatives Europe lies in its diversity of membership and the member’s involvement in its activities. What makes cooperatives stand out is their unique governance feature: ownership by members, caring for communities and members. In this regard, the recently adopted Social Economy Action (SEAP) Plan is a key strategic document that opens an opportunity to promote our business model."
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Conference in Paris of European ministers in charge of the social economy
23 European ministers in charge of the social economy met in Paris on 17 February for the first informal ministerial conference on this subject, organised by the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The aim was to demonstrate a shared desire on the continent to develop the social economy in order to meet the climate challenge and create jobs with high social added value.
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Scenarios towards co-creation of a transition pathway for a resilient, innovative, sustainable and digital proximity and social economy ecosystem
The European Commission services have prepared a staff working document to outline possible scenarios for a transition pathway towards a more resilient, green and digital Proximity and Social Economy industrial ecosystem. Through collaborative efforts, the Comission aims to co-create concrete actions and commitments with all stakeholders of this ecosystem to step up its green and digital transition and strengthen its resilience to future shocks.
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The 33rd CIRIEC International Congress - Valencia 2022 - receives 293 paper proposals
CIRIEC-Spain has received a total of 293 proposals for papers for the 33rd CIRIEC International Congress, which will take place on 13-15 June 2022 in Valencia. In addition to the researchers, the Congress is aimed at managers of public and social enterprises worldwide, representatives of the economic and social world, cooperative and social economy leaders, trade unionists, politicians, professionals and scientists. The inaugural conference of the Congress will be given by Paul Krugman, winner of the 2008 Nobel Prize in Economics, and the closing conference by Mariana Mazzucato.
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The ENUIES Network, of CIRIEC-Spain, calls for participation in the 3rd University Week of the Social Economy
After the success of the first two editions, with the participation of 30 universities and more than 5,000 people in 200 activities, the ENUIES Network, of CIRIEC-Spain, is once again calling the Centres, Institutes, Chairs and other research structures in Social Economy to the celebration of the 3rd University Week of the Social Economy, which will take place from 21 to 31 March 2022.
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The European Parliament adopts recommendations to harmonise the status of non-profits throughout the EU and establish a Statute for European association
On 16 February, the European Parliament adopted a series of legislative recommendations aiming to harmonise and strengthen the legal situation of European non-profit organisations (NPOs). MEPs demand the Commission submit a regulation introducing the possibility to create European associations. This law should include rules on the establishment, transparency and governance of cross-border entities. In addition, MEPs call for common minimum standards for NPOs in the EU via a directive, to help European civil society organisations pursue their activities unhindered.
Read moreResearch and Studies
Policy brief on making the most of the social economy’s contribution to the circular economy
The document finds that Social economy organisations have played pioneering roles for decades in shaping and expanding circular economy activities and practices. The social economy has contributed to the circular economy through activities such as electronics and textile recycling, reusable consumer goods, and repair and remanufacturing activities that extend the lifespan of materials and products. It also contributes to other circular activities such as restoring natural ecosystems, optimizing the use of resources through eco-design of products and supporting the collaborative economy through sustainable platforms.
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Guide to the writing of a law for the Social and Solidarity Economy
SSE International Forum has published the result of several years of work. This is the publication of the Guide to the writing of a law for the Social and Solidarity Economy. This Guide was written for SSE International Forum by David Hiez, Professor of Civil Law at the University of Luxembourg. He works in particular on social economy and cooperative law.
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Cahiers du CIRIEC-France No. 4: Cooperation between the public economy and the social and solidarity economy in the service of the collective interest
Under the direction of Philippe Bance, director of the public and social economy collection, and based on work led by Marcel Caballero, honorary president of CIRIEC-France, this Cahier was prepared in the context of an action-research project carried out in 2017 in execution of an agreement concluded with the State Secretariat for Trade.
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Co-production and Japanese Healthcare - Work Environment, Governance, Service Quality and Social Values
Healthcare in most developed countries face a complex and partly contradictory mix of financial, social and political challenges. Fiscal strains combined with New Public Management agendas have caused severe cutbacks and calls for greater efficiency in public healthcare, resulting in a growing concern about service quality. Co-production and Japanese Healthcare explores a possibility to address these issues from a new perspective that emphasizes greater collaboration between the staff and patients. Here professionals and patients/clients act as ‘partners to co-produce healthcare through their mutual contributions’.
Read moreSocial Economy Schedule
28th February-1st March 2022: Kick-Off Event of the OSCE YDEAS project in Tirana
This event aims at boosting social economy & sustainable entrepreneurship among young citizens in the Western Balkans. It will mobilise innovative social economy projects, as Railcoop, Mondragon Corporation, Innatura and healthcare mutuals (AIM), aiming at inspiring and supporting new social economy entrepreneurs in the region!
+info4 March 2022, European Parliament’s Social Economy Intergroup: public hearing on ‘Towards a Council Recommendation on Social Economy: Boosting the convergence of social economy enabling framework’
The European Parliament’s Social Economy Intergroup, with its more than 80 members, stands ready to actively support a successful implementation of the Social Economy Action Plan and of its key actions, as the proposal of a Council Recommendation on developing social economy framework conditions to be adopted in 2023. This online public hearing aims at gathering EU Institutions and Member States with successful policy and legal frameworks for the social economy, and key social economy stakeholders to push forward this proposal of council recommendation, debate about challenges and solutions, and exchange on existing policy innovations and proposals.
+info10 March 2022, EESC Event "Social Economy, the future of Europe"
The Conference for the Future of Europe (COFOE) cannot ignore the model of economic governance embodied by the social economy. The European Economic and Social Committee is organising this conference, which will address the following topics: the social economy, a pioneer of the circular economy; a major player in health; a creator of quality jobs; a strategy for international cooperation; a protector of fundamental values and rights and a tool for democracy; and a key player in Europe's digital future.
+info22 and 29 March, OIBESCOOP Seminar "Women and Cooperativism and Social and Solidarity Economy in Ibero-America"
On Tuesday 22nd and 29th March, the online seminar "Women and Cooperativism and Social and Solidarity Economy in Ibero-America" will be held, in which the book on the same subject, which has been prepared by an OIBESCOOP working group during the year 2021, will be presented. Experts from the OIBESCOOP Network from 14 countries have participated in this working group.
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