·
During the international event organized this Thursday by the employers
of the social economy, CEPES, with the collaboration of the Ministry of Labor
and Social Economy, to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the approval of the
Spanish Social Economy Law.
·
The day highlighted the socio-economic impact of Spanish social
economy companies after the approval of this law in 2011 by unanimity of the
parliamentary arc and pioneer at the international level.
·
Díaz highlighted the work that the Executive is
doing around the Spanish Social Economy Strategy 2022-2027 and the PERTE of the
Social Economy and Care Economy that will be approved soon
· CEPES recognized former ministers Celestino Corbacho, Valeriano Gómez,
Fátima Báñez and Magdalena Valerio, as well as the current second vice
president and minister Yolanda Díaz for their contribution to the development
and promotion of this business model in these years.
· The event was attended by representatives of reference countries with
advanced policies of this business model: the Minister of Labor, Solidarity and
Social Security of Portugal, Ana Mendes; the Minister of Labour and Social
Policies of Italy, Andrea Orlando; and the Secretary of State for Social and
Solidarity Economy of France, Olivia Grégoire
Madrid, March 17, 2022.- "The social economy is going to be one of
the great priorities of the Spanish Presidency of the EU in 2023", said
the second vice president and Minister of Labor and Social Economy, Yolanda
Díaz, during the international event organized this Thursday by the Spanish
Business Confederation of the Social Economy (CEPES) with the collaboration of
the Ministry of Labor and Social Economy , to commemorate the 10th anniversary
of the approval of the Spanish Social Economy Law.
He also referred to the
capacity of the social economy to "demonstrate that consensus between
political parties is possible." This was stated in reference to the
approval of this law in 2011 by unanimity of the parliamentary arc. Also, in
reference to the war in Ukraine, he called for "unity, affection and
intelligence so that we can leave this moment in the best conditions" and
affirmed that "the spirit of the social economy must guide us once
again."
During his speech,he
strongly advocated the defense of the business model of social economy:
"it is a resilient cooperative economy, solidarity, and has shown in all
crises that it is deeply effective and that it places decent work at the
center." Díaz pointed out that from
CEPES and the sector "they have not only done the impossible, but they have
left their skin to reach the current figures of this business model, which
employs more than 2.3 million people and is made up of more than 42. 000
companies in our country."
The vice president also
recalled the current projects in which the Executive is working together with
the sector, such as the Spanish Social Economy Strategy 2022-2027 and the PERTE
of the Social Economy and Care Economy. In relation to this PERTE, he pointed out that
it is conceived as a network at the service of people with the social economy
as a vehicle for transformation. "Its innovative approach will allow us to
advance in the social economy ecosystem, create collaboration networks between
entities and agents and promote companies and groups in vulnerable
situations," he said.
During his speech at the
closing of the event, Díaz stressed that "totalk about the social economy
is to talk about transformation, solidarity, stable employment and resources to
face the transitions that await us in a present and future without gaps. It is to
activate an innovation button that overcomes crises and that is aligned with
the SDGs and the European Pillar of
Social Rights. It is talk of strengthening our democracies, a challenge that Europe
is currently facing."
On the other hand, the vice
president recalled the need to make the social economy visible "both among
public organizations and towards citizens", as well as the need to provide this business model with a greater
presence at all educational levels, adapt legal frameworks to the reality of
the entities and work on improving and accessing financing by betting on
advances in responsible public
procurement "
Díazalso referred to the
regulatory challenges that the Executive faces in relation to this business
model: the new Spanish strategy of the social economy, in linewith the European
budgetary framework, and the updating of the laws of cooperatives and insertion
companies.
RECOGNITION OF FORMER MINISTERS
The commemorative event brought
together the highest political representatives at the state, autonomic and
international level and highlighted the advances and socio-economic impact of
Spanish social economy companies after the approval of the Social Economy Lawin
2011, unanimously and pioneering at the international level.
Thus, CEPES recognized
former ministers Celestino Corbacho, Valeriano Gómez, Fátima Báñez and
Magdalena Valerio, as well as the current second vice president and minister
Yolanda Díaz for their contribution to the development and promotion of this
business model in these years.
After this gratitude, Celestino
Corbacho, declared that "the work to get here has not been individual.
This law would not have been possible without the commitment of CEPES that both
the law and the promotion of this business model were necessary."
Valeriano Gómez stressed that "today the sector is much more
representative and transparent than eleven years ago", in reference to the
evolution that this business model has experienced. For her part, Fátima Bañez underlined the
values of the social economy: "you are demonstrating that people,
competitiveness, sustainability and social cohesion are possible," she
said. On the other hand, Magdalena Valerio pointed to one of the achievements
of this law: "this recognition visualizes that unanimity is possible in
the Spanish Parliament to achieve something good for all citizens."
Likewise, the seven
rapporteurs of Law 5/2011, Carles Campuzano Canadé, Esperanza Esteve i Ortega,
Gaspar Llamazares Trigo, Lourdes Méndez Monasterio, Carmen Quintanilla Barba,
Emilio Olabarria Muñoz, and Joan Tardá i Coma, received a recognition for their
commitment in the approval of this Law unanimously of parliamentary arch.
During his speech, the
president of CEPES, Juan Antonio Pedreño, highlighted the challenges in which
the Confederation is currently working, together with the Ministry of Labor,
such as increasing the weight of the social economy in GDP -currently around
10%-; promoting that companies of social economy break into emerging sectors;
attraction of young talent towards this business model; boost their visibility
and participate together with the rest of the social partners in the Social
Dialogue.
Pedreño highlighted how this
Law placed Spain "at the forefront of the European Union", being the
first Member State to adopt aframework law for the entire social economy,
"which has served as an example, like so many other things, to the rest of
European countries". In addition, he
pointed out that, at present, Spain is the only country in Europe with a
Country Strategy for the social economy, which is one of the nine lever
policies of the 2030 Agenda.
He also thanked the current
Ministry of Labor and Social Economy for this business model, "a bet that
will increase in the next two years and especially within the framework of the
Spanish Presidency of the European Union in the second half of next year,"
said the president of CEPES.
He also recognized the work
of the people who from their different current and past responsibilities in the
Government, political parties or from the autonomous communities "made the
mandate of the Law and the Spanish Constitution a reality to strengthen a
socioeconomic fabric that represents 10% of GDP in Spain, with companies of all
sizes present in all economic sectors." "The
work of all these people has made Spain one of the countries in the world with
a powerful, pioneering and most advanced ecosystem in favor of the Social
Economy," he said.
During the day, the advances in the social economy since the approval of
the Law were also highlighted, among which are the approval of the Social Economy Promotion Plan in 2015 and the Spanish Strategy for the Social
Economy 2017-2020, as well as the creation, for the first time in history, of a ministry that includes in its
nomenclature the Social Economy, the Ministry of Labor and Social Economy, led
by the second vice president of the Government, Yolanda Díaz.
INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE
The event that commemorated
the 10th anniversary of the approval of the Social Economy Law had a
strong international presence. Thus, the
Minister of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security of Portugal, Ana Mendes,
showed, during her speech, the predisposition of the Portuguese Government to
build an action plan for the Iberian common social economy and highlighted the
role of this emprearial model as
"an instrument that makes a difference and transforms societies".
He also highlighted the
capacity of the social economy as a "living, dynamic and resilient force,
especially in the current conjuncture, marked by the war in Ukraine", and
pointed to this business model as an engine to generateopportunities for
refugees. Mendes stressed the importance
of "prioritizing values among all and rebuilding European countries."
For his part, the Minister
of Labor and Social Policies of Italy, Andrea Orlando, stressed that "the
social economy puts the person at the center of the democratic model of social
justice, and therefore, of peace." In addition, he recalled the importance
of including the social economy in public procurement and access
to finance. "After the financial
crises we have experienced and the challenges facingEuropetoday,it is important
to have a wealth model of companies that reflect Europe´s values."
Italy will chair in 2022 the
Monitoring Committee of the Luxembourg Declaration – of which 23 governments
are now part – giving confidenceto France, Portugal and Spain, with theaim that
European governments prioritize the social economy in their policies.
For her part, the Secretary
of State for Social and Solidarity Economy of France, Olivia Grégoire, who
intervened telematically, highlighted the role of Spain as "an example to
develop this economic model in Europe". He also recalled the need to
define a solid legal framework in the different European countries to be able
to promote this business model and to collaborate between the different
countries, "which would allow generating synergies in Europe".
TERRITORIAL REGULATIONS
During the event, the importance of the social economy in the different
regions of the country was also highlighted. Thus,s e held a colloquium between
representatives of autonomous communities, in which they could share the
different experiences, pacts, strategies and initiatives of territorial
regulations of social economy.
The Minister of Economic Development and Economic Developmentof the Autonomous
Community of Navarre, Mikel Irujo Amezaga, highlighted "the values, the
territory and Europe" as the three reasons why the community decided to promote this model. "Values that have served to anchor the industry in our territory,"
he said.
The Minister of Economic Model, Tourism and Workof
the Balearic Government, Iago Negueruela i Vázquez, explained how the
Balearic Government´s own social economy strategy has boosted job creation, "which
will now be increasedor thanks to European funds," he said.
The Minister of Business, Employment,
Universities and Spokesperson of the Autonomous Community of the Region of
Murcia, María del Valle Miguélez Santiago, explained part of the work that
has been carried out in the Region, with the V Pact of the Social Economy,
signed last year, which has 7 axes and more than 70 specific measures for this
type of companies.
The Minister of Employment and Equality of the Xunta de
Galicia, María Jesús Lorenzana, explained how Galicia was the first Autonomous
Community to approve a specific law on Social Economy, in 2016. In addition, he detailed how thanks to the
2019-2021 Strategy, more than 700 jobs were created, more than 23% of what was
expected. On the other hand, the social economy represents 7% of its GDP
in Galicia, a percentage
within the European average. Lorenzana explained how the Xunta
is promoting training and cooperativism among women.
The commemorative act of the 10th anniversary of the
approval of the Social Economy Law, which could be followed in Spanish,
English, French, Italian and Portuguese, was sponsored by 11 entities of the
social economy: COCETA, GRUPO SOCIAL ONCE, GRUPO COOPERATIVO CAJAMAR, FUNDACIÓN
ESPRIU, LABORPAR, COOPERATIVAS AGROALIMENTARIAS DE ESPAÑA, FEACEM, FAEDEI,
FIARE BANCA ETICA, CAJA DE INGENIEROS
and LABORAL KUTXA.
