Conclusions of the international conference 'Social enterprise as agent for the Social Economy. The future agenda of the European institutions'
The Social Economy will be high on the agenda of the European institutions
(Madrid, December 10, 2014) .- The Social Economy will be high in the future agenda of the European institutions, as well as plans of the Government of Spain, as revealed in the international conference 'Social enterprise as agent of the Social Economy. The future agenda of the European institutions' organized last week by CEPES in the Economic and Social Council (CES) in collaboration with the Ministry of Employment and Social Security
"This form of business is a source of employment and innovation and, therefore, it is important that we place at the epicenter of this new phase of economic recovery; in addition to making a prominent role within the European agenda, "said the CEO of Self-Employment, Social Economy and CSR companies Ministry of Employment and Social Security, Miguel Ángel García.
"We understand that the Social Economy will make this growth is sustainable and inclusive and therefore do a program to promote social economy with major axes, and develop innovation, internationalization and seek new market niches, to the time of placing the sector at the forefront of the stage Socioeconomic" said Garcia.
CEPES president, Juan Antonio Pedreño has stated that "the European Social Economy is consolidating in Europe for its contribution to the generation and maintenance of employment. It is a sector which has 2 million companies and 20 million jobs. Pedreño also recalled that the Social Economy is a benchmark in Europe, not only for its associative structure around CEPES, but by the diversity of entities thatup "
In addition, Pedreño recalled that the Spanish Social Economy "has been able to create about 14,000 new jobs in the last fifteen months."
"CEPES makes visible an economic and social force that contributes not only to generate quality jobs, but also to promote regional and local development, to create greater social cohesion, to address social needs of millions of citizens and to promote an entrepreneurial spirit It meets the needs of the people", Pedreño noted.
Intergroup at the European Parliament
The European Parliament Vice President, Ramón Luis Valcárcel, via videoconference, expressed his support for "making the Intergroup Social Economy a reality" in that institution, as has defended CEPES and the bulk of European Social Economy .
Valcarcel said that "every time I've had, have and will have this on my agenda Social Economy". Vice President of the European Parliament has also stressed that "in times of crisis, the Social Economy has responded to market challenges, providing values "?"?such as sustainability, solidarity and thanks to itscommitment and success contributes to building a better and more united world ".
For his part, President of CES, Marcos Peña he highlighted that "the social economy is an instrument of economic and social efficiency" and therefore "all countries aim to promote this sector to achieve harmony between economic efficiency and cohesion". Peña explained that "there is a sign of European identity that is reconciling economic efficiency and social cohesion and forge where this is how it is, obviously in the Social Economy, social enterprise ".
Social enterprises
Besides the support of the Spanish Government to enhance the role of the Social Economy in the European agenda, another important aspect of the international conference was to analyze the role of so-called 'social enterprises'. The conference has pointed out that the European Commission defines social enterprises as an agentSocial economy is identified according to three criteria:
Pedreño explained that "these principles are similar or shared by the Social Economy enterprises and forth in Law 5/2011 of Spanish Social Economy", by which social enterprises are part of this sector represented by CEPES, as all recently defended the parliamentary groups in the Congress Deputies ".
The president of CEPES has also warned about the possible terminological confusion, "to either use the concept of social enterprise and social economy to define the same economic reality".
"We understand that this terminological confusion could be provoked because the development of the social economy is not the same in all countries of the European Union and, therefore, the emergence of new concepts, along with the EU acquis has already Economy Social as a whole, may be the origin of this dysfunction" Pedreño indicated.
Difference between social enterprise and CSR
Pedreño also recalled that the 'social enterprise' are agents of the Social Economy as their performance characteristics and values "?"?fit with the principles of other entities that make up the Social Economy.
CEPES president said "defend CSR policies and corporate social action, but these initiatives, welcome and laudable, can not be classified as social enterprises and that do not comply with the principles, values "?"?and mechanisms that collect documents Community ".
"Therefore, from CEPES, as head of the Spanish Social Economy and, therefore, social enterprises, as defined by the European Commission consider it a mistake CSR actions or social action of some companies were classified as 'social enterprises'" pointed the president of the Social Economy Enterprise.
International Day
At the international conference they were announced measures that the EU develops for the whole of the Social Economy for 2015-2020. In addition, work priorities for the European Social Committee (EESC) Economic Committee is rising to the Community institutions in favor of recognizing addressedcalled 'social enterprises' as agents of the Social Economy.
The event was organized by CEPES with support from the Ministry of Employment and Social Security, specifically the Directorate General Self-Employment, Social Economy and CSR. The conclusions of this conference will serve to make proposals that the Social Economy travel to the EU to develop this economic sector,accounts for 15% of EU employment after the formation of the new Commission and the European Parliament.
