On 19 May, the fourth edition of the ‘Enterprising for Tomorrow’ conference, organised by ADV Romania, brought together over 900 participants from more than 30 European countries. Representatives from the social economy, public authorities and financial institutions reflected on the state of the social economy, acknowledging the achievements brought about by the EU Social Economy Action Plan and the 2023 Council Recommendation on developing social economy framework conditions.

“The Social Economy Action Plan has been instrumental in supporting the social economy, leading 21 Member States to adopt strategies in this regard and contributing to the creation of a level playing field with other actors.” - Miia Rossi-Gray, Team Leader for the social economy team, Unit for social and inclusive entrepreneurship in DG EMPL, European Commission

The discussions also shed light on the challenges that the social economy continues to face. Throughout the day, a number of recommendations were put forward to unlock the social economy’s still under-utilised potential. These include:

  • Increasing the visibility and recognition of the social economy, including the experience of workers’ buyouts.
  • Building stronger bridges between the public and private sectors.
  • Ensuring access to complementary financial instruments.
  • Providing advisory support and investing in financial education.
  • Making public procurement socially responsible and green, moving beyond the lowest price criterion.

“This is a decisive moment for shaping the next Multiannual Financial Framework: we must preserve the European Social Fund. The European project cannot be built by renouncing its founding values or by weakening the social policies that underpin territorial and social cohesion”. - Juan Antonio Pedreño, President of Social Economy Europe

The conference served as an opportunity to sign new agreements live, aimed at forging solid partnerships, to award social inclusion projects developed by Romania and Moldovan organisations, and to and present the outcomes of various European projects involving social economy actors, including the DIGIT-ABLE project.

Within the framework of the DIGIT-ABLE project, CECOP took part in a study visit to ADV Romania the following day. The ADV group comprises various social enterprises that support the inclusion of people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups through employment, vocational training, social entrepreneurship, and financial services. Interestingly, their ‘Accelerator of Social Enterprises’ programme has been supporting the development of social economy entities, including cooperatives, in Romania since 2019.

On 20 May, CECOP also attended the General Assembly of Social Economy Europe (SEE), the umbrella organisation bringing together social economy entities. Members formally adopted SEE’s new Strategic Plan. The document sets out three main strategic directions: strengthening awareness-raising and recognition of the social economy, reinforcing democracy and social justice, and addressing the opportunities and risks of digitalisation.

CECOP was delighted to support the membership of RREUSE, Europe’s largest network of social enterprises active in the circular economy, with a focus on reuse, repair, and recycling. Their contribution will be particularly valuable in demonstrating how the social economy puts the well-being of people and the planet at the centre, prioritising it over profit.

This two-day trip to Romania offered an opportunity to discover new initiatives flourishing within the ecosystem, showcase that the social economy is not niche, and reinforce the shared commitment to advancing a more inclusive, sustainable and democratic economic model in Europe.