Industrial cooperatives: a tool for addressing the challenge that is inclusive and sustainable competitiveness

Background
The UN has declared 2025 to be the International Year of Cooperatives, recognising the role that cooperative play in driving inclusive growth, resilience and sustainability worldwide. Industrial cooperatives combine competitiveness with worker participation, democratic governance and strong local engagement. They play a crucial role in reindustrialisation, job creation and innovation, while aligning profitability with social and environmental responsibility.

Key points
In this opinion, the EESC:

• calls on EU institutions and Member States to integrate cooperative business education into entrepreneurship and vocational training, while promoting cooperative opportunities through programmes such as Erasmus+ and raising awareness among financial institutions and industry associations;
• urges the creation of targeted incentives, such as tax breaks, grants and low-interest financing, to support industrial cooperatives in adopting circular practices, investing in shared industrial parks and eco-industrial zones, and developing knowledge-sharing platforms; and
• stresses that the cooperative model delivers unique added value for Europe’s competitiveness by safeguarding jobs, fostering innovation, ensuring equitable wealth distribution and strengthening regional resilience, and should therefore be fully recognised in EU cohesion, industrial and transition policies.

Background information
Section: Consultative Commission on Industrial Change (CCMI)
Opinion type: Own-initiative
Rapporteur: Giuseppe Guerini
Co-rapporteur: Michal Pintér
Reference: CCMI/242
Date of the section meeting: 12 September 2025
Results of the section meeting vote:

• 15 members in favour, 0 against, 0 abstentions
• 27 delegates in favour, 0 against, 0 abstentions

Date of adoption at the EESC plenary session: December 2025
Results of the plenary session vote: X in favour, X against, X abstentions

Contacts:
Giorgia Battiato (press officer)
Tel.: +32 2 546 9449
Email: giorgia.battiato@eesc.europa.eu

Adam Dorywalski (administrator)
Tel.: +32 2 546 9397
Email: adam.dorywalski@eesc.europa.eu