The Social Economy Action Plan was launched on December 9, although its social coming out took place on 16 December in Brussels, in an event at La Tricoterie (a cooperative) organised by the European Commission, fully respecting the current healthcare regulations.
The event (recording available here) gathered key speakers as Commissioners Nicolas Schmit and Thierry Breton, Nobel Prize winner and entrepreneur Muhammad Yunus; Patrizia Toia MEP, Social Economy Europe (SEE) President Juan Antonio Pedreño, a representation of the French Presidency of the Council; comentator at the Financial Times Martin Sandbu; and an group of social economy entrepreneurs and practioners as Nicolas Hazard (special adviser to the Commission), Marta Lozano (Wazo Coop), Vesna Bajsanski-Agić (Mozaic Foundation), Sofi Fridland (Just arrived) and Jean Moreau (Phenix), among others.
With its 38 actions, the Social Economy Action has a 2030 horizon for its implementation, although most of the actions for which a calendar is provided are foreseen in 2022 and 2023. As it was appointed by SEE, “more than a culmination, the launch of the Social Economy Action Plan marks a new beginning, full of opportunities for the social economy to scale up, grow, innovate and continue providing collective solutions to societal, economic and environmental challenges”.
On January 1st began the French Presidency of the Council with an important agenda to accompany the success of the Social Economy Action Plan, including an EU Social Economy Conference to be held on 5-6 May in Strasbourg (with the support of the city, the EU Commission, the EESC and the Social Economy Intergroup).
A Transition Pathway for a more resilient, sustainable and digital Proximity and Social Economy Ecosystem
The Commission has already launched a survey targeting all social economy actors and institutions/organisations engaged in the promotion of the social economy. The main objective is to make sure that the social economy accelerates and succeeds in the green and digital transitions. The survey, for which the deadline is 28 February is the first step of a participatory process in which all social economy stakeholders will be invited to participate and engage.
The European Parliament (Employment Committee, with an opinion from the Regional Development Committee) will provide a Report on the Social Economy Action Plan, a first official input from another EU Institutions aiming to accompany and support the success of the initiative. This work will be led by Jordi Cañas MEP (Renew, ES).
The Social Economy Intergroup will also closely follow and input the Social Economy Action Plan with a renewed agenda in 2022.
CIRIEC Congress in Valencia
Of key interest too is the 33rd CIRIEC International Congress, on Public, Social and Cooperative Economy. The Congress will be held on 13, 14 and 15 June 2022 in Valencia, under the theme “New global dynamics in the post-Covid era: challenges for the public, social and cooperative economy”.
CIRIEC-Spain and CIRIEC-International invite the international community to the Congress, which is aimed at managers of public and social companies at a global level, representatives of the economic and social world, cooperative and social economy leaders, trade unionists, politicians, professionals and scientists. The Congress has confirmed the participation of Paul Krugman, Nobel Prize winner in economics, as opening speaker. Call for papers available.
