On 18 March, CASES (Cooperativa António Sérgio para a Economia Social) published a report setting out the main conclusions of its public consultation on the future of the Portuguese social economy, a “key” process for shaping the sector’s next national strategy.
The document, drawn up following a consultation carried out between October and November 2025, brings together contributions from organisations, experts and citizens with the aim of identifying challenges, needs and opportunities. In total, there were over 1,200 visits and responses to the platform.
One of the most notable aspects of the report is the strong participation of social economy organisations, which accounted for 80% of the contributions. Social solidarity institutions predominate among them.
Three major strategic priorities
The public consultation process led by CASES reveals a widely shared vision centred on three major strategic priorities: improving access to funding, strengthening institutional and social recognition, and enhancing the training and professionalisation of human resources.
As for the main challenges, the report identifies structural problems such as financial sustainability, lack of visibility, excessive bureaucracy and weak institutional cooperation. It also highlights emerging challenges such as digital transformation and regional inequalities, particularly in rural areas, as well as current issues surrounding housing, mental health, ageing and the lack of generational renewal.
The published document emphasises that the social economy plays a fundamental role in areas such as inclusion, the fight against poverty and the provision of services to vulnerable groups, establishing itself as a complementary pillar to the state and the market.
The report’s conclusions will serve as the basis for defining the future National Strategy for the Social Economy in Portugal, in collaboration with bodies such as the European Commission and the OECD. According to CASES, the aim is to move towards a more sustainable, professionalised model with greater social impact, supported by indicators that allow its progress and results to be measured.
