Social Economy, an enterprise model for the future of Europe

On 23 May, Georges Dassis, President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), participated in the conference on "Social Economy, an enterprise model for the future of Europe", that was held on the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía.

The aim of the conference was to present the effective contribution of social economy to smart, sustainable and inclusive growth and to high-quality jobs creation in Europe, as well as its potential for a future of economic and social progress. Ministers and other governmental responsible for the Economy and Labour from several Member States signed the Madrid Declaration, which will aim to grant European citizenship to social economy enterprises, at a time when a whole action plan for the sector is expected from the European Commission.

Mr. Dassis participated in the round table discussion on Social Economy and European Institutions, alongside Ramón Luis Valcárcel, Jens Nilsson, Ann Branch and Ulla Engelmann, where he stated that the EESC has worked to support the social economy for more than 30 years, but this topic has occupied a prominent place on the European agenda since the Toia Report adopted in 2009 by the European Parliament. He also mentioned that synergies, cooperation, concerted action is good, but it is not enough. We must make the social economy even more visible, by giving it the importance it deserves, notably in the Commission's work program for 2018, or through the development and implementation of a comprehensive action plan.

In conclusion, he declared that the EESC will continue its effort to make social economy enterprises more visible and generally support the common goal of a more social Europe, because the economic and political future of Europe - the future of our children - depends greatly on it.

Work organisation