•Statement of Commissioner Schmit during the third edition of the UfM workshop on Social Economy “Towards a new Social Economy Agenda for a sustainable and inclusive Mediterranean”, organised by the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and CEPES last 4th November.
•This online event brought together social economy representatives and experts from 20 different countries, with the participation – among others - of Juan Antonio Pedreño, CEPES and Social Economy Europe President, and general coordinator of the ESMED Network; Abdelkader El Khissassi, Deputy Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean in charge of Economic Development and Employment and Maravillas Espín, director general for Self-Employment, Social Economy and CSR of the Spanish Government, together with Nicolas Schmit, commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights of the European Commission.
•Pedreño: “We are ready to work with the Union for the Mediterranean and the European Union to make the social economy a lever for economic development and growth in line with the 2030 Agenda”
•Maravillas Espín: “The Spanish government is committed to the social economy as a reference for a fairer and more inclusive transformation and recovery, and we are working to shape a better strategic framework for the social economy”
Madrid, 4 November 2021. Global challenges can only be addressed with locally-implemented solutions, and the social economy offers efficient answers to these challenges. Nicolas Schmit, commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights of the European Commission, made this statement during the third edition of the UfM Workshop on Social Economy “Towards a new Social Economy Agenda for a sustainable and inclusive Mediterranean”, organised by the Union for the Mediterranean (UpM) and CEPES.
This event, which took place online last 4 November, brought together social economy representatives and experts from 20 different countries. The agenda of the workshop mainly focused on the future European Action Plan for Social Economy and how this will strength the Euro-Mediterranean cooperation in the social economy; and how to promote cooperation in favour of the social economy between Institutions involved in the social and economic development of the Mediterranean and among the governments of the Euro-Mediterranean region.
Schmit referred to current challenges such as climate change or digital technologies, which are connecting us globally but can also become a challenge for all those who cannot keep up to date in regard to these solutions, stating that Europe is working closely with its neighbours, especially those located in the Mediterranean region, to promote the social economy model, which is fair and inclusive.
The commissioner pointed out that most solutions to these challenges will have to be implemented locally, and thanks to the strong roots the social economy boasts, this enterprise model may offer efficient solutions. He also added that the social economy is attractive for young people as it can support their access to the labour market and choose professional careers that have a positive impact on society. Furthermore, he underlined the role that the social economy plays as an interesting path for women, by fostering their access to the job market.
Schmit also pointed out that this event takes place when the European Commission is about to adopt the European Action Plan for Social Economy on 8 December next. This plan will contribute to establishing a new work agenda that promotes the social economy as a key driver for sustainable recovery and a fair transition in Europe. This Plan will also have “an international dimension”, with a positive impact on the southern Mediterranean, where the social economy provides an inclusive economic growth model and the creation of decent work.
CEPES and Social Economy Europe president, and general coordinator of the ESMED Network, Juan Antonio Pedreño, thanked commissioner Schmit and the European Commission’s ongoing commitment to place social economy at the centre of the European Union cooperation with “our southern Mediterranean neighbours, with whom we share challenges and the hope of building a better future in common”.
Pedreño wished to recall the potential that social economy has in the Mediterranean, with more than three million undertakings that employ 15 million people, stating that: “Today, we are about to start a new stage in Euro-Mediterranean cooperation in the sphere of the social economy.”
The CEPES President recalled that the Union for the Mediterranean and the European Union are strong and jointly commitment to the social economy as a key driver for a fair and sustainable recovery of the Mediterranean after the pandemic. He also referred to “the social economy’s potential to solve several social challenges and to increase our society’s resilience in times of crisis thanks to business models that place people at the centre, even in the good times.”
Furthermore, Pedreño stated that “the social economy will be at the centre of the shared work agenda of the European Union and the Union for the Mediterranean to reduce inequality and to foster sustainable development in its territories. In other words, we are ready to work with the Union for the Mediterranean and the European Union to make the social economy a lever for economic development and growth in line with the 2030 Agenda.”
He also mentioned the adoption of the European Action Plan for Social Economy, “a historical milestone, not only for Europe but also globally”, that will “commit to promoting this enterprise model in regions sharing a common heritage with Europe and decades-long cooperation in the field of social economy like the Mediterranean. “Therefore, this Action Plan will become an ambitious initiative to foster the social economy entrepreneurship across the Euro-Mediterranean region.” added Pedreño. Similarly, he advocated for the creation of workspaces between governments to promote cooperation that aims to devise legal frameworks and policies that promotes the social economy.
Meanwhile, the Director General for Self-Employment, Social Economy and CSR for the Government of Spain, Maravillas Espín, highlighted that “government should enable every tool to contribute to the economic transformation we need”, stating that “the Spanish Government is committed to the Social Economy as a driver for a fairer and more inclusive transformation and recovery, and we are working to achieve the best strategic framework for the social economy.”
In this regard, she pointed out that Spain is actively involved in international organisations, such as the UfM, in search of connection paths with other countries, beyond Latin American countries. Furthermore, she stated that Spain and Portugal are working closely towards the social economy becoming a main player in the sphere of the next Ibero-American Summit. Similarly, she recalled the work that the OECD and ILO carry out to promote the social economy enterprise models from a global perspective.
Finally, she underlined that a good opportunity to achieve greater visibility internationally will be the Spanish Presidency of the European Union in the second half of 2023.
The participation of the representatives from the Moroccan, Portuguese, Tunisian and Spanish Governments at the event is worth pointing out. These four governments are proof of the role public authorities play in the development of the social economy and how these enterprises have become a matter of shared interest for governments in the Euro-Mediterranean region.
The Euro-Mediterranean region boasts a significant number of countries that have passed laws regarding the social economy. Spain, with a law enacted since 2011, was followed by France, Portugal, Greece, and Tunisia. Morocco will shortly join this list as it is currently working on a draft law.
