Peole 2 People programme
Study tour on social economy Brussels - 22 June 2012
The role of EU platforms and networks for
awareness-raising and exchange of best
practice
Presentation of SOCIAL ECONOMY EUROPE
Karine PFLÜGER
Social Economy Europe
The EU-level network that brings together
representative organisations of
the social economy
Historical background
• 1989
The Social Economy recognised at political level by the European
Commission with the creation of a “Social Economy” Unit within DG
XXIII Enterprise Policy, Distributive Trades, Tourism and the Social
Economy of the European Commission
• 1994
Social economy representatives organisations take part of the policy
making process: creation by the European Commission of the
Consultative Committee for Co-operatives, Mutual societies,
Associations and Foundations (CCCMAF)
Historical background
• 2000
Re-organisation of the formal consultative structures of DG Enterprise +
creation of the Enterprise Policy Group = dissolution of the CCCMAF
Creation of the European Standing Conference of Co-operatives, Mutual
societies, Associations and Foundations (CEP-CMAF) by the social
economy representative organisations
• 2008
The CEP-CMAF becomes SOCIAL ECONOMY EUROPE with a permanent
secretariat as an independent structure
Our membership
•
International and European organisations
•
National organisations
•
Thematic organisations
Mutual Societies
• AIM
•
•
•
International Association of Mutual
Health Funds
AIM brings together 42 national federations of autonomous health insurance and social protection
bodies in 25 countries. In Europe, they provide coverage against sickness and other social welfare risks
to more than 160 million people , either by participating directly in the management of compulsory
health insurance, by providing voluntary health insurance or by delivering directly health care and social
services through own facilities.
AIM's goal is to defend and promote, at international and European level, the social values and basic
principles shared by its members: access to health care as a fundamental right, solidarity and nonexclusion as essential means to ensure this access to quality health care for all, irrespective of health
status or financial capacity to pay; and non profit orientation as guiding principles for health insurance
based upon the needs of citizens.
AIM - 50 rue d'Arlon, 1000 - Brussels - BELGIUM - www.aim-mutual.org
Mutual Societies
• AMICE
•
•
•
•
•
Association of Mutual Insurers and
Insurance Cooperatives in Europe
AMICE is the voice of the mutual and cooperative insurance sector in Europe. It was created in January
2008 through the merger of the two previously existing associations of mutual and cooperative
insurers in Europe, AISAM and ACME, to represent the interests of the sector with one united voice.
AMICE’s prime purpose is to ensure that the voice of the mutual and cooperative insurance sector in
Europe is heard and that the interests of its members are taken into account in securing a level playing
field for all insurers in Europe regardless of their legal form.
AMICE provides a platform for mutual and cooperative insurers of all sizes to combine resources and
expertise, exchange experiences across national borders and discuss key issues and concerns relating
to planned legislative and regulatory changes and developments.
With more than 100 direct members and 1,600 indirect members, representing a third of the insurance
companies in Europe and 20% of the premiums, AMICE speaks for a significant part of the insurance
sector.
AMICE – Rue du Trône 98 - 1050 Brussels - BELGIUM - www.amice-eu.org
Associations
• CEDAG
•
•
•
European Council of Associations of
General Interest
CEDAG is a network of non-profit organisations from across Europe established in 1989 in order to
provide a voice for the non-profit sector at European level on issues, which are common to all nonprofit organisations. CEDAG's members are regional and national umbrella bodies for the non-profit
sector; together they represent over 50,000 non-profit organisations with over 9 million individual
members.
CEDAG aims to promote the recognition of the non-profit sector by the EU, in particular the economic
contribution of non-profit organisations, their disinterested and democratic management approach,
their general interest character and their services orientated towards people, and promote a legislative
framework, including in terms of tax, helping the sector to develop. CEDAG lobby for the right of the
sector to be consulted on EU policies of interest to the sector and provide a forum for non-profit
organisations across the EU to exchange examples of best practice in the non-profit sector.
CEDAG - 32, square Ambiorix - bte 47 – 1000 Brussels - BELGIUM - www.cedag-eu.org
Foundations
• EFC
•
•
•
•
•
European Foundation Centre
Established in 1989, the European Foundation Centre (EFC) is an international membership association
of foundations and corporate funders. In 23 years its membership has grown steadily from an initial
group of 7 founding members to 231.
The EFC is an international association of foundations and corporate funders dedicated to creating an
enabling legal and fiscal environment for foundations; documenting the foundation landscape;
strengthening the infrastructure of the sector and finally promoting collaboration, both among
foundations and between foundations and other actors
EFC Mission: To strengthen the independent funding element of European philanthropy through robust
cooperation with an array of partners.
EFC Vision: A resilient infrastructure from which European philanthropy – with its unique embrace of
innovation, dynamism and cooperation – can advance the public good in Europe and beyond.
EFC - 78, avenue de la Toison d'Or - 1060 Brussels - BELGIUM - www.efc.be
National organisation
France
• CEGES
•
•
•
•
Council of the Enterprises, Employers
and Groupings of Social Economy
CEGES brings together enterprises, employers and organisations belonging to the social and solidarity
economy (SSE) in France. As a movement, CEGES is federating SSE stakeholders, represents them in
structured dialogue with public authorities and civil society, and contributes to the development of
their entrepreneurial model in the market.
CEGES’ college of employers brings together representatives of SSE employers.
In France, SSE enterprises represent around 10% of French economic activity and 10% of employment.
They create social value in the economic market and are present in almost all sectors of activities. Under
different forms, SSE enterprises give primacy to the individual over capital. They are organised around:
collective solidarity; democratic distribution of power inside the enterprise; reinvestment of surpluses
to support their social aims and development of sustainable activities – that do not delocalise – in the
territories.
CEGES - 24 rue du Rocher - 75008 Paris - FRANCE – www.ceges.org
National organisation
Spain
• CEPES
•
•
•
•
Spanish Business Confederation of
Social Economy
Established in 1992, CEPES is an inter-sector business confederation acting at state level. It is an
institution of highest level in Spanish social economy and a platform for institutional dialogue with the
Public authorities.
CEPES brings together 29 members: national or regional confederations and specific business groups
representing the interests of Cooperatives, Worker-Owned Societies, Mutual Benefit Societies, Insertion
Companies, Special Employment Centres, Fishermen´ Guilds and Disability Associations with more than
200 support structures at a regional level.
All in all, CEPES represents almost 45,000 enterprises, more than 2,350,000 jobs and more 12,000,000
people.
CEPES - C/Vallehermoso 15 - 1ª planta - 28015 Madrid - SPAIN - www.cepes.es
National organisation
Belgium
• SAW-B
• VOSEC
•
•
•
•
Social Economy Network in Wallonia
and Brussels
Flemish Platform for Social Economy
SAW-B was created in 1981 to gather and defend the economic alternatives present in the Walloon
region. SAW-B is mandated in 2012 to represent VOSEC, the platform of consultation of social economy
sectoral representative organisations within SOCIAL ECONOMY EUROPE.
SAW-B is a federation of social economy, with more than 100 members, including enterprises active in
different sectors and 13 sectoral federations. SAW-B is also an approved consultant agency and a
renowned actor in life long learning.
VOSEC is an umbrella organisation for 800 companies and over 30,000 workers. VOSEC was founded in
1997 and is recognized by the Flemish government. VOSEC encourages and supports the development,
professionalization and cooperation among social economy enterprises through, among other things,
information, networking and training.
SAW-B - www.saw-b.be / VOSEC - www.vosec.be
Thematic organisation
• REVES
•
•
•
•
European Networks for Cities and
Regions for Social Economy
REVES was created in 1996 and has members in 10 European countries. It is composed of two types of
members: local/regional authorities and social economy organisations. REVES supports the partnership
process between these two kind of actors.
REVES objectives: create positive conditions for the development of social and solidarity basedeconomy; develop social responsibility and exchange expertise and know-how, and to implement
innovation in the fields of inclusion, participation and empowerment of local communities; educate and
communicate the contribution of social economy-based partnership for more solidarity-based
communities; be a laboratory for innovation in social policies and to support their dissemination in all
territories; cooperate and create synergies with other national, European and international networks
and to complement them;
REVES pursues these objectives in Europe and at international level with a view to territorial cohesion,
international solidarity, promotion of equal opportunity and north-south cooperation and capitalize on
its own and members experiences in the different fields of interest and make them available to all
members.
REVES - Bvd Charlemagne 74 - 1000 Brussels – BELGIUM - www.revesnetwork.eu
Thematic organisation
• ENSIE
•
•
European Network for Social
Integration Enterprises
ENSIE was established in 2001 and brings together 19 national and regional networks, present in 15
countries of the EU and Switzerland. All these networks pursue, in a way adapted to local conditions,
objectives for the social integration of disadvantaged publics. Altogether, the networks comprise 2400
Work Integration Social Enterprises, and more than 378 000 workers. These networks are made up by
enterprises of which identifying principles are:
o The social and professional integration of individuals who due to their exclusion and their
relegation to a marginal role in society have fallen victim to increasing social and professional
handicaps.
o Enterprises at the core of the economic system: work integration social enterprises have decided to
carry on their activities at the very core of what is most frequently a major factor in the
phenomenon of exclusion: the economic system.
o Enterprises of a strong pedagogical dimension. The work integration social enterprises initiate
training and educational programs designed on the basis of existing potential and develop this
individual potential within the enterprise.
ENSIE asbl – Chaussée d’Alsemberg 303 – 1190 Brussels – BELGIUM - www.ensie.org
Values shared by social
economy actors as expressed
in the EU CHARTER
• primacy of the individual and of social objectives over
capital
• defence and implementation of principles of solidarity
and responsibility
• conjunction of member users’ interest and the general
interest
Values shared by social
economy actors as expressed
in the EU CHARTER
• democratic control by members
• voluntary and open membership
• management autonomy and independence with regard to
the authorities
• surpluses are primarily intended for sustainable
development projects, for member services interests and
for the general interest
Our activities
• Active participation to the political debate and lobbying
• Organisation of events (conferences, exhibitions) and active
participation to other events,
• Capacity building,
• Facilitating information and communication sharing between
actors in the field of social economy,
• Secretariat of the European Parliament Social Economy
Intergroup
Main aims
• social economy is acknowledged and the values it entails are
clarified. The specificities of social economy enterprises are taken
into account in the EU policy making process.
• social economy actors are recognised as key players of the internal
market and as integral parts of the European social model through
jobs creation – innovation – entrepreneurial spirit – social, economic
and environmental cohesion – local development – solidarity - civil
dialogue …
• Priorities: visibility and recognition ; distinct European statutes for
mutual societies, associations and foundations ; Services of General
Interest; social cohesion…
Interlocutors
• Members of the European Parliament
How? Via the Social Economy Intergroup of the European
Parliament
• Representatives of the European Commission
How? Informal and formal meetings
• Members of the EECS and CoR
How? Direct collaboration with the Social Economy Category
of the CESE
More information
www.socialeconomy.eu.org
[email protected]
78 Avenue de la Toison d’Or –
1060 – Brussels - BELGIUM