Social Economy Europe

🎉 HABEMUS INTERGROUP!! 🎉 Finally, we can announce the good news!  The official European Parliament’s Intergroups are officially approved: the Social Economy & Services of General Interest Intergroup has been selected as one of the 28 Intergroups for the new legislature.  💪 During the last phase of the process and after consultation with key stakeholders, both Social Economy and Services of General Interest, decided to join forces and collaborate to ensure the renewal of the Intergroup. We are looking forward to this promising cooperation. After an intense campaign and months of collective hard work we are excited to start working together on key EU policies, to further support the development of SE across the EU as well as to continue to raise awareness about the many contributions of Social Economy to the EU current objectives.  🔥 At this point of celebration, we would like to thank all the members of Social Economy Europe for supporting this campaign, which has been key to reach our objectives. We would also like to thank Services of General Interest Europe for their willingness to collaborate and work together. Finally, but most importantly, we want to give our gratitude to all the MEPs that have supported our Intergroup among their groups and colleagues. There is a strong group of MEPs highly committed to Social Economy that are essential for us. We cannot mention them all here, but we would like to specially thank our initial co-chairs Ms. Maravillas Abadía, Irene Tinagli, Stéphanie Yon-Courtin, Ignazio Roberto Marino, MD, ScD and Ms. Li Andersson.  🤝 The renewal of the Intergroup, along with the appointment of Executive Vicepresident Roxana Minzatu responsible for Social Economy were two of our main objectives after the EU Elections and set the basis for a productive legislature for the Social Economy at European level. A lot of work remains to be done on key issues such as housing, energy, quality jobs, reindustrialization, taxation or public procurement... 🤝 Now is time to celebrate the Intergroup before recharging batteries during this end of the year festivities, to be ready to kickstart the work that awaits us in the next years!  👏 🎉 AIM - Association Internationale de la Mutualité/International Association of Mutuals CECOP CEDAG - European Council of Associations of General Interest CEPES Confederación Empresarial Española de la Economía Social ConcertES ESS France (La Chambre française de l'économie sociale et solidaire) FEBEA - European Federation of Ethical and Alternative Banks and Financiers Forum Terzo Settore Eurodiaconia Diesis Network ENSIE NETWORK The Wheel Philea - Philanthropy Europe Association ADV Romania TechSoup Coompanion Microfinance Centre European Microfinance Network REVES - EUROPEAN NETWORK OF CITIES AND REGIONS FOR THE SOCIAL ECONOMY AMICE Mutuals Social Economy Ukraine

👋 Yesterday during our General Assembly the Members of Social Economy Europe officially approved the incorporation of the Confederação Portuguesa de Economia Social   We are happy to welcome them to the Social Economy Europe family.  💪 We had the pleasure to welcome the presence of Francisco Silva, General Secretary of Confederação Portuguesa de Economia Social and his testimony:  👀 “We want to have a constructive participation. The whole structure is anxious to integrate [in SEE] and for us it is really important” AIM - Association Internationale de la Mutualité/International Association of Mutuals CECOP CEPES Confederación Empresarial Española de la Economía Social ConcertES ESS France (La Chambre française de l'économie sociale et solidaire) FEBEA - European Federation of Ethical and Alternative Banks and Financiers Eurodiaconia Diesis Network ENSIE NETWORK The Wheel Philea - Philanthropy Europe Association ADV Romania TechSoup Coompanion Microfinance Centre European Microfinance Network REVES - EUROPEAN NETWORK OF CITIES AND REGIONS FOR THE SOCIAL ECONOMY AMICE Mutuals Social Economy Ukraine

SEE General Assembly took place today at our office! We welcome Confederação Portuguesa de Economia Social as new member of Social Economy Europe! Bem-vindos à SEE! We thank all the members both in person and online for their attendance to the GA. We continue working for the SE to be in the top of the EU agenda 💪 AIM - Association Internationale de la Mutualité/International Association of Mutuals CECOP CEDAG - European Council of Associations of General Interest CEPES Confederación Empresarial Española de la Economía Social ConcertES ESS France (La Chambre française de l'économie sociale et solidaire) FEBEA - European Federation of Ethical and Alternative Banks and Financiers Forum Terzo Settore Eurodiaconia Diesis Network ENSIE NETWORK The Wheel Philea - Philanthropy Europe Association ADV Romania TechSoup Coompanion Microfinance Centre European Microfinance Network REVES - EUROPEAN NETWORK OF CITIES AND REGIONS FOR THE SOCIAL ECONOMY AMICE Mutuals Social Economy Ukraine

👋 It’s been more than 9 months of campaign to make sure #SocialEconomy stays high in the EU agenda, and today we are 9 days away from the final decision of Conference of Presidents as to which intergroups will be selected. We take the opportunity to showcase the video students made of the conference we organized last October to show how SE supports the #EU in the priorities set out by the new Commission. It was a great success with more than 150 attendees from the social economy actors, from the EC as well as EP. This conference gave us trust in the role SE will have in this EU mandate.  👀 May the images speak for themselves 🔥 🔥 https://lnkd.in/dAjegkKU AIM - Association Internationale de la Mutualité/International Association of Mutuals CECOP CEDAG - European Council of Associations of General Interest CEPES Confederación Empresarial Española de la Economía Social ConcertES ESS France (La Chambre française de l'économie sociale et solidaire) FEBEA - European Federation of Ethical and Alternative Banks and Financiers Forum Terzo Settore Eurodiaconia Diesis Network ENSIE NETWORK The Wheel Philea - Philanthropy Europe Association ADV Romania TechSoup Coompanion Microfinance Centre European Microfinance Network REVES - EUROPEAN NETWORK OF CITIES AND REGIONS FOR THE SOCIAL ECONOMY AMICE Mutuals Social Economy Ukraine

The #ProximityandSocialEconomyPlatform is live and open for registration: https://lnkd.in/eYuNFCaR. 💡 A digital hub for 'makers' in the social economy, sustainable businesses, and community-driven organisations. It builds on the Transition Pathway co-designed by the @EuropeanCommission and key stakeholders in proximity and social economy sectors. Why be the first to sign up? ✔️ Showcase your achievements and pledges 🤝 Connect and collaborate with like-minded professionals 📅 Access exclusive events and training to grow your skills 💶 Stay up-to-date on funding opportunities Free and open to all stakeholders across the EU and the Single Market Programme. Register yourself and tag someone who should join this growing community! 👇

👋 Today we want to share a paradigmatical example of how #SocialEconomy contributes to major #EU #challenges and objectives: #housing.  #CooperativeHousing, together with other Social Economy initiatives, such as #CommunityLandTrust (CTL) or #socialhousing, are just a few examples of how Social Economy contributes with efficient and practical solutions to EU challenges and Europeans’ concerns. Cooperative Housing has the capacity to provide affordable housing, of caping cost of housing while avoiding public and private investment from fostering speculation.  💪 Here is an example of coordination between administrations of different levels (local, regional, European) and social economy actors: 👀 👀 A few weeks ago, SostreCivic received the greatest ever credit given to a Catalan or Spanish cooperative. The CEB - Council of Europe Development Bank gave financial support of 31 million euros for the development of Coopertive Houses. Together with the EU’s #NextGenerations funds Sostre Cívic will be able to build more than 350 Cooperative Houses. 🔥 🔥   This also possible in other crucial sectors for the EU, like #energy, #industrial sovereignty, #skills and #education, #care and #healthcare, and #socialrights... That is why both coordinated policies and adapted financial instruments for Social Economy solutions are necessary. 💪 🤝

👋 The renewal of the #SocialEconomy (SE) #Intergroup of the European Parliament (EP) isn’t just important for the ecosystem or single SE organizations and enterprises. It is also crucial for transversal matters in which SE plays a key role. Without strong policies and strategies that support SE, chances for the following items will not be properly addressed either: ▶️ #Children’s #rights,   ▶️ #Fighting #poverty,   ▶️ #Disability,   ▶️ #Care and #healthcare,   ▶️ #Education and #skills,   ▶️ #Sustainable #investment and #development,   ▶️ #Labor rights and ▶️ #Social concerns, among many others.  The whole Social Economy ecosystem and the indispensable allies in the EP are working hard for the renewal of the crucial Social Economy Intergroup. (Don’t hesitate to look at our previous publications presenting our allies). 💪    And, of course, listen to Juan Antonio Pedreño, President of Social Economy Europe on how your MEP can support the renewal of Social Economy Intergroup. 👀 Let’s joint efforts and renew the Social Economy Intergroup!!  🤝 AIM - Association Internationale de la Mutualité/International Association of Mutuals CECOP CEDAG - European Council of Associations of General Interest CEPES Confederación Empresarial Española de la Economía Social ConcertES ESS France (La Chambre française de l'économie sociale et solidaire) FEBEA - European Federation of Ethical and Alternative Banks and Financiers Forum Terzo Settore Eurodiaconia Diesis Network ENSIE NETWORK The Wheel Philea - Philanthropy Europe Association ADV Romania TechSoup Coompanion Microfinance Centre European Microfinance Network REVES - EUROPEAN NETWORK OF CITIES AND REGIONS FOR THE SOCIAL ECONOMY AMICE Mutuals Social Economy Ukraine

👋 The new European Commission has just started to work and important #challenges and #objectives will be addressed. We are delighted with the inclusion of #SocialEconomy and the full implementation of the Social Economy Action Plan in Mrs. Roxana Minzatu’s final Mission Letter. However, the Social Economy Action Plan by itself is not enough, it needs a coordinated approach of different policies and objectives as well as the means to accompany the deeds.  So we’ve done the math 🤓 :   ▶️ Knowing that the EU #budget will not increase (at least not right away) + new objectives (like defense, innovation & competitivity) have joined the previous ones (that is green & digital fair transition) = the EU money directly allocated to social economy will necessarily decrease.  ▶️ When we add to this arithmetic the fact many MS will have to undergo austerity measures, we can rest assured that the first cuts will happen, as always, in social matters (#health, #education, #sports, #social services, #minorities...) All sectors in which SE plays a crucial role. All cuts that will affect the parts of SE that heavily depend on public spending and that support the wellbeing of society. ▶️ The social issues are not decreasing, rather the contrary and investments are needed to face the major economic and social EU challenges. These are serious threats not only to SE but largely to the EU prosperity and wellbeing of its populations. Without budget support the Social Economy Action Plan will fail to deliver. Political and operational support from both the EC & EP are crucial. Only with coordinated policies and adapted means can Social Economy contribute to solving Europe’s most pressing challenges (such as housing, energy, accessible healthy food & care). For all these reasons it is important to coordinate EU policies linked to SE, by incorporating this ecosystem transversally in all EU Industrial, economic and social policies, among many others. In a moment when Social Economy is needed more than ever accross the EU, we need investment, funding and national budgets that reflect a coordinated and holistic approach to a prosperous EU.  💪 🔥 AIM - Association Internationale de la Mutualité/International Association of Mutuals CECOP CEPES Confederación Empresarial Española de la Economía Social ConcertES ESS France (La Chambre française de l'économie sociale et solidaire) FEBEA - European Federation of Ethical and Alternative Banks and Financiers Eurodiaconia Diesis Network ENSIE NETWORK The Wheel Philea - Philanthropy Europe Association ADV Romania TechSoup Coompanion Microfinance Centre European Microfinance Network REVES - EUROPEAN NETWORK OF CITIES AND REGIONS FOR THE SOCIAL ECONOMY

👋 The MEP of the day is Cecilia Strada. She is Member of the Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament (S&D) at the European Parliament  and she is a committed supporter of the renewal of the Social Economy Intergroup (SEIG). 🔥 As part of her work at the European Parliament (EP), she is: ▶️Vice-Chair of the Delegation for relations with the Mashreq countries. ▶️ Member of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs. With an extended career in the third sector, she has firts-hand knowledge and knows its priorities. Now as MEP she is working for a more inclusive and fair society. On her own words: “It is thanks to the cooperative world and the third sector as a whole that we can keep Europe on the track of the double transition, without leaving anyone behind" LET’S RENEW THE SOCIAL ECONOMY INTERGROUP! 💪 💪 💪 AIM - Association Internationale de la Mutualité/International Association of Mutuals CECOP CEPES Confederación Empresarial Española de la Economía Social ConcertES ESS France (La Chambre française de l'économie sociale et solidaire) FEBEA - European Federation of Ethical and Alternative Banks and Financiers Eurodiaconia Diesis Network ENSIE NETWORK The Wheel Philea - Philanthropy Europe Association ADV Romania TechSoup Coompanion Microfinance Centre European Microfinance Network REVES - EUROPEAN NETWORK OF CITIES AND REGIONS FOR THE SOCIAL ECONOMY

👋 Today is the very first day of the new Commission as yesterday December 1st, the new College took office. We are glad to say that: HABEMUS COMMISSIONER IN CHARGE OF SOCIAL ECONOMY!! 😶🌫️ Following Mrs. Roxana Minzatu opening discourse during the hearings at the European Parliament we were hoping for inclusion of Social Economy in her portfolio. Finally, we got it! In the final Mission Letter, President Ursula von der Leyen entrusts Mrs. Mînzatu with the:     ▶️ “development of the social economy, notably by fully implementing the Social Economy Action Plan” 🔥 🔥 🔥 We share our satisfaction to see Social Economy in the Mission Letter of Mrs. Mînzatu. We are also delighted to see Mrs. Mînzatu’s title change into:  ▶️ “Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness” The designation of a commissioner in charge of Social Economy is essential for us and we are willing to start working with Mrs. Roxana Mînzatu and the whole College of Commissioners. In fact, Social Economy is fundamental for key EU policies such as social rights, energy, housing, care and healthcare, gender equality and social and territorial cohesion, among many others. We will continue to push for a strong collaboration between Mrs. Roxana Mînzatu, Mrs. Teresa Ribera as Executive Vice-President for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition and Mr. Stéphane Séjourné Executive Vice-President for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy. This will ensure that Social Economy remains high in the EU agenda and will fully implement the Social Economy Action Plan. 👀 👀 We look forward to working with the Commission for the future of Europe and the Social Economy! 💪 💪 AIM - Association Internationale de la Mutualité/International Association of Mutuals CECOP CEPES Confederación Empresarial Española de la Economía Social ConcertES ESS France (La Chambre française de l'économie sociale et solidaire) FEBEA - European Federation of Ethical and Alternative Banks and Financiers Eurodiaconia Diesis Network ENSIE NETWORK The Wheel Philea - Philanthropy Europe Association ADV Romania TechSoup Coompanion Microfinance Centre European Microfinance Network REVES - EUROPEAN NETWORK OF CITIES AND REGIONS FOR THE SOCIAL ECONOMY