The European Network of Cities and Regions for the Social Economy (REVES) held an event on 14 May, hosted by the city of Strasbourg, with the participation of representatives of REVES member cities and regions, other cities and regions that share the values of the social economy, and representatives of European social economy actors. In it, and through a call to action, a collection of signatures has been promoted for the European institutions, governments and local and regional administrations to intensify their commitment and work for social cohesion, social economy and democracy.
The REVES Network is calling for the regions to make their voices heard so that the social economy is recognised for its contribution and for the measures that they demand for the future of this European economy.
On its website, REVES points out that the social economy is both a force for good citizenship and entrepreneurship in the Union and a resilient economy, promoting the general interest and providing innovative solutions to many social, environmental and democratic problems.
‘It is an economy that employs people in all their diversity and sustains the vitality of communities, helping to make the realisation of the European Union’s values and objectives visible to its citizens,’ they say.
An invitation to governments to implement concrete actions
In the letter, REVES stresses that governments and administrations of European countries and regions must increase their measures to promote the social economy and the sectors involved in it. They call for measures such as formulating a clearer vision of the social economy and social enterprises; establishing and reviewing national strategies and action plans for the social economy; and enabling, through appropriate structures, platforms and mechanisms, improved dialogue and cooperation between national, regional and local levels on issues related to the social economy.
They also call for clear mandates on social economy issues to be given to state, regional and municipal authorities; to promote the involvement of the SSE in social dialogue at national and EU level and, ultimately, to actively contribute to the development of programmes and actions to promote the social economy and sustainable development in general, as well as to the fight against attempts, as REVES calls them, of ‘greenwashing’ and ‘social laundering’.
