Slovenia Coop2012 How and when do cooperatives contribute to the current economic system and to human and social development Bruno Roelants CECOP / CICOPA CECOP – CICOPA –

European confederation of cooperatives active in industry and services

enterprises million workers 9000 are social cooperatives employing workers incl disadvantaged workers

Vagen Ut, Sweden

Dimitar Blagoiev, Bulgaria

Ot Verkko, Finland

Opoka, Poland

Global organisation of cooperatives in industry, services and crafts An estimated enterprises in 30 countries European organisation of

Global annual surveys on the resilience of the crisis since March 2009

Cooperatives presently contribute around 5% of GDP in the G10

Very strong in market shares in key sectors Banking US 6% EU 18/19% France 42 / 46%

Agriculture US 30% EU 50/60% Brazil 40%

Retail Finland 43% Italy 17% Hungary 14% Singapore 55%

Housing Germany 10% Norway 15%

Industry and services Spain 21% in health Italy number 1 in social services Mondragon 10th business group in Spain

Industry and services Cooperatives are present in almost all activities

SOCIAL IMPACT OF COOPERATIVES (1) Sustainable employment General interest services Housing: 28 million EU citizens

SOCIAL IMPACT OF COOPERATIVES (2) Longevity In Canada, after 10 years: 44% of cooperatives are still alive 20% of all enterprises are still alive Capillarity

RESILIENCE OF COOPERATIVES TO THE CRISIS (1) Banking (loans) In the US, in : Credit cooperatives +6.68% Conventional banks – 0.39%

RESILIENCE OF COOPERATIVES TO THE CRISIS (2) Distribution (sales) In Italy, in : Consumer cooperatives +0.9%

Industry and services Resilience observed in terms of:  enterprise survival and turnover  maintainance (sometimes net creation) of jobs  capital accumulation and low indebtedness

In Spain Number of enterprises

In Spain Number of jobs

This resilience is relative:  It depends on the density of cooperatives  It has its limits in front of a prolonged recession

Main factors of resilience & development 3 levels “micro” (enterprise) “meso” (inter-enterprise) “macro” (legislation and public policies)

“micro” level (enterprise) CERALEP

“meso” level (inter-enterprise) Consorzio SIS, Milan

“macro” level (legislation and public policies) Industria Plastica Toscana Under Marcora Law

Main regulation and public policies that are key to sustain cooperatives’ development Employment Local development Indivisible reserves Restructuring of enterprises in crisis or without heir into cooperatives

Main regulation and public policies that are key to sustain cooperatives’ development (continued) Cooperative education and skills training Financial instruments Public procurement Clustering and horizontal groups

Indirect contribution of cooperatives to the economy and society

Cooperatives can contribute very substantially to the future of Europe Their key role needs to be far better recognized and promoted CICOPA –