• This is confirmed at the first meeting of the Spanish presidency of the Follow-up Committee of the Luxembourg Declaration, held yesterday with senior representatives of 14 Governments of the European Union, the European Commission, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee , the OECD, the International Labor Organization (ILO), and Social Economy Europe and the Spanish Business Confederation of the Social Economy (CEPES).
• Juan Antonio Pedreño, President of Social Economy Europe and CEPES highlights “the importance of this meeting and of the international confirmation that the Social Economy is a strategic priority for all participating governments, to emerge from the crisis in a sustainable way, with companies committed by their values to people and territory, that create stable and quality jobs, that do not relocate and demonstrate that it is possible to combine economic and social wealth. ”
• The meeting was chaired by the Spanish Minister of Labor and Social Economy, Yolanda Díaz, who stressed that "the Social Economy has in its DNA the keys to recovery", and therefore "it will facilitate a way out of the crisis with values , reason why it is called to play a key role in the recovery after the Covid-19 health crisis ”.
• In addition, the Spanish Government announced that the city of Toledo will be in 2010 the European capital of the Social Economy.
Madrid, May 29, 2020.- The Spanish Business Confederation of the Social Economy (CEPES), and Social Economy Europe, as Employers of the Social Economy at State and European level, participated in the first meeting of the Spanish Presidency of the Committee of Follow-up to the Luxembourg Declaration, held yesterday with senior representatives of 14 governments of the European Union, the European Commission, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee, the OECD and the International Labor Organization (ILO), in which the key role of companies in the Social Economy in the economic and social recovery plans of Europe was confirmed, indicating their contribution to a sustainable and inclusive development, based on innovation and sustainability ”.
This first meeting was chaired by the Minister of Labor and Social Economy, Yolanda Díaz, highlighting that the Spanish 2020 presidency wants to make visible and spread the business model of Social Economy as a model for the future. In addition, Diaz added that "one of the objectives of the Spanish presidency is that as many States as possible join this Monitoring Committee, as well as that the Social Economy acquires a relevant role in the development of agendas and economies European and world ”.
The president of both Trustees (CEPES and SEE), Juan Antonio Pedreño , highlighted "the importance of this meeting and of the international confirmation that the Social Economy is a strategic priority for all participating Governments, to emerge from the crisis in a sustainable way , with companies committed by their values to people and territory, that create stable and quality jobs, that do not relocate and demonstrate that it is possible to combine economic and social wealth. ”
The Minister of Labor and Social Economy, Yolanda Díaz , stated that this agreement to enhance the Social Economy "will facilitate a way out of the crisis with values, which is why it is called to play a key role in the recovery" after the health crisis by the Covid-19. He added that "the Social Economy has in its DNA the keys to recovery."
In the meeting they have participatedt senior government representatives from 14 EU countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Slovenia, Spain, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, Malta, the Czech Republic and Romania. The participation of the Governments of Poland and Finland was also foreseen, who could not be present at the last minute at the meeting that was held electronically.
In addition, representatives of international organizations such as the European Commission, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee, the OECD and the International Labor Organization (ILO) attended. On behalf of the Government of Spain, the Secretary of State for Employment and Social Economy, Joaquín Pérez, and the Director General of Autonomous Work, Social Economy and Corporate Social Responsibility also attended; Espin wonders .
The European Commission in its intervention confirmed that work is already being done on the European Action Plan for the Social Economy and added that at this moment, the Commission is more aware than ever that it is necessary to bet on the Social Economy.
The Secretary of State for Social Security of the Government of Portugal, Gabriel Bastos, highlighted in his speech the importance of the Social Economy in the Euro-Mediterranean Region. Bastos also announced that within the framework of the Portuguese presidency of the European Union in the first half of next year, a European Conference on Social Economy will be held. The Government of Portugal will be the country that chairs this Committee in 2021.
Juan Antonio Pedreño reaffirmed the commitment to the Euro-Mediterranean Region, recalling that CEPES assumes the presidency of the ESMED Network in which 16 representative organizations of the Social Economy from 9 countries participate: Algeria, Egypt, Spain, France, Italy, Morocco, Portugal, Tunisia, Turkey and Spain. ESMED represents through its members 900,000 companies and Social Economy entities that have more than 8 million jobs and associate more than 100 million people.
Pedreño presented the commitment of the Union for the Mediterranean (UPM), an international organization that brings together 43 States to promote Social Economy companies, considering them “not only as an alternative way of generating economic, social and environmental value, but also as a way smart to free up resources, create sustainable jobs and generate inclusive growth in the region. ”
Strategic proposals presented by CEPES and SEE
The President of SEE and CEPES made a series of proposals to contribute to the economic and social recovery of Europe, such as promoting collective entrepreneurship as the engine for the reindustrialization of Europe. "Let's bet on our human capital, accompany and encourage the youngest to develop strategic projects by undertaking collectively. A much more resilient form than the individual one ”, emphasized Pedreño.
For this reason, he called for "promoting the greater use of instruments such as the transfer of companies to workers, to save companies and jobs throughout Europe, as happened in the previous crisis." This instrument used successfully in Spain, Italy or France, does not exist in the vast majority of countries in Europe.
Furthermore, Pedreño highlighted the role of the Social Economy as a vector of a Green Economy . "From Europe," stated the President of SEE and CEPES, "we must continue to promote fundamental initiatives for the ecological transition such as renewable energy cooperatives or promote the role ofSocial Economy in the Circular Economy, mainly through insertion companies dedicated to reuse, repair and recycling. Without forgetting key elements such as housing or sustainable agriculture. ”
SEE and CEPES also requests to promote and drive the digitization of companies and entities of the Social Economy. "There is no doubt that the future is digital, this crisis has also anticipated us even more, but it must also be fair, inclusive, democratic and with quality employment," Pedreño said.
Pedreño also indicated that "to finance this transition towards an Economy at the service of people and the planet and to mobilize the full potential of the Social Economy, we need funds and investments." For this reason, he asked to mobilize European financial instruments, training measures to support companies, regulate capital markets and through European funds such as, among others, the ESF or FEDER.
"Ultimately, what we have achieved in this important agreement is that 14 countries in Europe act in a coordinated manner to promote the Social Economy as a vector of sustainable development in the world."
European Social Fund
At the meeting, Pedreño and Minister Díaz explained to the rest of the governments the role of CEPES as Intermediate Body of the European Social Fund. Spain is the only European country that has a National Operational Program that has chosen the Promotion of Social Economy and Entrepreneurship as an investment priority.
Pedreño recalled that "CEPES is the only institution in Europe that manages a Social Economy Operational Program that, endowed for the entire current period of 34 million euros, has allowed to give a very important boost to social economy companies in Spain".
From 2016 to June 2019, 122 operations were financed. 625 social economy companies (cooperatives, labor companies and social companies) were created, which allowed the creation of more than 1,800 new jobs and the consolidation of 2,100 jobs with the active participation of women because they represent 50% of all jobs created.
"From Social Economy Europe and Cepes, we have highly valued this commitment by the Government of Spain and we recommend the experience to other countries, and we consider it essential that the next ESF + Regulation identifies in its first section the Social Economy as one of its specific objectives Pedreño stressed.
Toledo, capital of the Social Economy
The Spanish presidency of the Follow-up Committee of the Declaration of Luxembourg also designated the city of Toledo as the European Capital of the Social Economy for its high symbolic value, as a meeting point and example of understanding of civilizations.
Yolanda Díaz announced in the videoconference the decision on Toledo, "the city of the three cultures, an example of tolerance and dialogue that, today more than ever, are essential".
