News of the European Social Economy
SEN#53July 2026
Health mutuals around the world: essential values for health and social protection systems
Yannick Lucas, president of the International Association of Mutual Benefit Societies (AIM)
"In 1950, in the aftermath of a war that had plunged the world into mourning, mutualists from around the world founded the International Association of Mutual Benefit Societies (AIM). These men and women believed that the values they shared were stronger than history itself, and that mutual should speak with one voice in order to convey a message of solidarity on the international stage. Seventy-five years later, in a world marked by ageing populations, the rise in chronic diseases, health crises, social inequalities and growing pressure on public finances, mutuals continue to occupy a unique position. They are neither mere insurers nor mere administrative service providers".
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The International Association of Mutual Benefit Societies (AIM) begins a new mandate by setting out its strategic priorities for the coming years
Yannick Lucas was elected as the new President of AIM. In his inaugural speech, he stressed the importance of combining strong global representation with effective regional leadership. Solidarity, humanism and democracy will remain central values in AIM’s work. Loek Caubo, who led AIM for six years, was appointed Honorary President, while Verena Nold was named an Honorary Member.
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The UN publishes the first Declaration of the Group of Friends of the Social and Solidarity Economy
Supported by 19 governments, the Declaration sets out commitments to strengthen intergovernmental cooperation in order to promote the contribution of the social and solidarity economy to decent work, sustainable development and social justice.
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The European Parliament’s Social Economy Intergroup and Social Economy Europe call for a strategic role for the Social Economy in the European Union’s next budget
Social Economy Europe (SEE) and the European Parliament Intergroup on Social Economy and Services of General Interest gathered in Brussels for the high-level event “The Multiannual Financial Framework and the Social Economy”, where representatives of the European Commission, the European Parliament, national governments and social economy organisations discussed how the future EU budget can help build a more competitive, resilient and inclusive Europe.
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Social Economy Europe launches Awards for the best short films and audiovisual campaigns on the Social Economy
Social Economy Europe has launched an Awards competition aimed at students aged 18 to 30 from across Europe who are enrolled in programmes related to film, animation, journalism, audiovisual production, graphic design, illustration, advertising and communication.
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CIRIEC-International calls for participation in a new International Working Group on public policies for the Social Economy
The Scientific Commission on Social and Cooperative Economy of CIRIEC-International has launched a new International Working Group dedicated to the study of public policies for the Social Economy from a comparative and international perspective. The initiative aims to bring together researchers and specialists from different countries to analyse how public policies can contribute more effectively to the development of the Social Economy and what lessons can be drawn from experiences implemented in different national and regional contexts. The Scientific Commission invites researchers to join the Working Group, with applications open until 31 July.
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Eurofound invites participation in a survey on the digitalisation needs of the social economy
Digitalisation is transforming the way social economy organisations operate, collaborate with their stakeholders, deliver services and respond to society’s needs. As digital technologies become increasingly important across all sectors, understanding how social economy organisations are managing this transformation is essential for promoting effective support measures and developing public policies that reflect the realities of the sector.
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Millions of cooperators around the world celebrated #CoopsDay2026 on 4 July
The day was marked by numerous in-person and digital activities across all continents. Institutional events, social media campaigns, cooperative markets, forums, cultural events, environmental initiatives, educational programmes and tributes to the history of the cooperative movement were held in countries including Belgium, Spain, France, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Costa Rica, India, Nepal, Kenya, Togo, Mauritius and Australia, among others.
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Cooperatives and Mutuals 50 (CM50) Leadership Group holds its first Summit in Brussels
The initiative, promoted by the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), was officially launched in November 2025 during the World Social Summit in Doha, Qatar. Its main objective is to increase the economic weight of the cooperative and mutual movement by raising its estimated global turnover from US$2.7 trillion to US$5 trillion annually.
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The Member States of the Ibero-American Community of Nations sign the Ibero-American Commitment to the Social and Solidarity Economy 2026–2030
The Member States of the Ibero-American Community of Nations, within the framework of the 6th Ibero-American Ministerial Conference on Labour held in Avilés (Spain), have adopted the Ibero-American Commitment to the Social and Solidarity Economy 2026-2030. The approval of this text marks a historic milestone for the region, as it constitutes the first major political agreement on this subject reached by consensus at the Ibero-American level.
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The Ibero-American Observatory OIBESCOOP compiles the university educational offer in the Social and Solidarity Economy across Ibero-America
The Ibero-American Observatory OIBESCOOP has completed a major effort to bring together, describe and contextualize the main degree programmes that currently make up the university educational offer in the Social and Solidarity Economy across Ibero-America. The result is an initial repository showcasing nearly 40 programmes, many of them well established over time and, in all cases, enjoying academic recognition and research lines that have made, and continue to make, a significant contribution to the generation and dissemination of knowledge on the social, solidarity and cooperative economy.
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Dakar brings together 2,500 participants from 30 countries at the 2nd African Social and Solidarity Economy Forum
The Forum highlighted the growing prominence of the social and solidarity economy in African public policies and reinforced Senegal’s position as one of the leading countries in this field. The event brought together policymakers, social economy organisations, financial institutions, researchers and international organisations to discuss some of the continent’s main challenges, including youth unemployment, poverty, territorial inequalities, the green transition and access to finance.
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ENSIE publishes its 2025 Annual Report, highlighting a year of resilience, policy advocacy and renewed commitment
The report outlines ENSIE's work throughout 2025 to strengthen the recognition of Work Integration Social Enterprises (WISEs) at the European level, in a context characterised by labour shortages, social inequalities, the green and digital transitions, and the first policy developments under the new European Union mandate.
Read moreSocial Economy Schedule
35th CIRIEC International Congress – Montreal 2026 – Registration open
From October 5 to 8, 2026, CIRIEC International and CIRIEC-Canada invite you to Montreal to participate in a collective reflection on the theme “Taking Care of the World: the Vital Contribution of the Social Economy and Public Enterprises”. This edition will bring together researchers, public policy-makers, practitioners and representatives of public enterprises and the social economy from around the world. The conference website, programme and registration form are now available.
+info14th Meeting of Latin American Researchers in Cooperativism (EILAC), Santiago, Chile, 3–4 November
The 14th EILAC Meeting will take place on 3 and 4 November 2026 in Santiago, Chile, at the Central University of Chile, under the theme ‘Cooperatives in times of multiple crises: laboratories of hope and democracy for human development’.
+infoLast days to submit papers for the Third CIRIEC-Spain Legal Congress, 22–23 October in Pamplona
The Third CIRIEC-Spain Legal Congress will be held on 22 and 23 October 2026 at the Navarre Institute of Public Administration in Pamplona. It is being organised in collaboration with the Public University of Navarre, through its Chair of Social Economy and Cooperativism, and ANEL, the Association of Social Economy Enterprises of Navarre. The general theme of this Congress is “The Legal Promotion of the Social Economy: The Person as the Central Pillar”, and the call for papers will remain open until 31 July.
+infoMutuals Delivering Europe’s Priorities: Strategic Autonomy, Prosperity and Accessibility
The European Parliament Intergroup on the Social Economy and Services of General Interest will host the high-level event “Mutuals Delivering Europe’s Priorities: Strategic Autonomy, Prosperity and Accessibility” on 8 September in Brussels. Registration is open until 2 September.
+infoCIRIEC-Mexico encourages participation in its 6th International Congress
The congress will take place from 2 to 6 September 2026 at the Autonomous University of Chapingo (UACh), under the central theme “The Contribution of the Popular, Social, Solidarity and Communal Economy to the Protection, Care and Management of the Commons by Urban, Rural, Indigenous and Afro-descendant Communities”.
+infoIX Coloquio de CIRIEC-Colombia, 27–29 August in Carmen Apicalá
As part of the preparations for the 2027 CIRIEC International Conference, this colloquium is conceived as a space for dialogue, reflection and collective knowledge-building around some of the key current challenges facing the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE). The colloquium aims to foster discussion, identify relevant questions, share experiences and highlight research advances that will help strengthen the debates leading up to the international conference.
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