General Presentation 12th GECES Meeting 27 April 2017 Actions and strategy for the social economy and social enterprises  The way forward General Presentation 12th GECES Meeting 27 April 2017

The legacy • External contribution: - Council Conclusions on the Social Economy (December 2015),EP resolutions, EESC opinions, CoR opinions; - GECES report and recommendations (October 2016); • Commission's contribution and commitment: - Social Business Initiative (2011) follow-up; - "Start up and Scale-up" Initiative (October 2016); - Political and institutional context: EFSI/White Paper on the future of Europe/European Pillar of Social Rights as windows of opportunity;  Series of actions coordinated by the launch of an Internal Task Force between different services (January 2017).

Presentation of the actions • Implementation of actions scheduled for 2017-2018. • Five pillars to be developed: 1. Access to funding; 2. Access to markets; 3. Improving framework conditions; 4. Social innovation, technologies and new business models; 5. International dimension.

Pillar 1: Access to finance 1. Reinforcing EasI guarantee and establishing a debt finance window ("EasI funded instruments"); 2. Implementing EFSI social equity instruments: Investments in or alongside financial intermediaries; Investments alongside BA or investments in BA funds; Payment-by-results scheme (pilot). 3. Working on the revision of the EuSEF Regulation (2013).

Pillar 1: Access to finance 4. Stimulating support for Social Enterprise Financing Markets under EaSI such as: Capacity building measures ("EaSI Capacity building"); Projects grants to develop markets; Operating grants for EU-level networks; Grants to reduce transaction costs of financial intermediaries for small investments.

Pillar 2: Access to markets 1. Implementing the revised rules on qualitative public procurement: Awareness-raising events & capacity-building measures to stimulate socially responsible procurement for public procurement officers; Updating the guide " Buying Social" (2011); Discussing better insertion of social clauses in Commission's procurement. 2. Reinforcing the cooperation between traditional enterprises and social economy enterprises: Launch of a study in 2017 to select best practices; Preparation of a high-level conference on the topic mid-2018.

Pillar 2: Access to markets 3. Identifying entry points for social enterprise/social innovation in Corporate Social Responsibility policy and related actions; 4. Stimulating cross-border activities for social economy and social enterprises.

Pillar 3: Improving framework conditions 1. Preparing guidelines to assist Member States in developing regulatory frameworks for the social economy and social enterprises (if they wish to); 2. Possibly updating the Guide on SGEI; 3. Promoting the creation of social economy clusters in different Member States; 4. Boosting the establishment of social economy and social enterprise satellite accounts in national statistics;

Pillar 3: Improving framework conditions 5. Implementing the Pilot Project "Transfer of businesses under form of cooperatives"; 6. Implementing the Pilot Project "Reduction of young unemployment and the setting up of cooperatives "; 7. Updating the mapping of social enterprise ecosystems in Europe; 8. Producing four in-depth country reviews with the OECD;

Pillar 3: Improving framework conditions 9. Disseminating the EC/OECD compendium of social enterprises policies and initiatives to showcase successful national initiatives; 10. Developing in co-operation with the OECD online policy assessment tools for inclusive and social entrepreneurship policies for local and regional and national authorities;

Pillar 4: Social innovation, technologies and new business models 1. Reflecting on the use and impact of new technologies by social economy actors and particularly social enterprises: Preparing a workshop to be organised in Brussels in cooperation with EESC - Q2 2017; Launching a call for tender to map and diffuse best practices in Europe. 2. Implementing the Pilot Project “Sharing Economy Start-up initiative – Financing the future of European Entrepreneurship”; 3. Building the momentum for social innovation and supporting concrete projects through the European Social Innovation Competition.

Pillar 4: Social innovation, technologies and new business models 4. Launching and managing the Social Innovation Challenge Platform which will help to find solutions for important social challenges: 1 Million to run a platform and operate as a matchmaker; +2.5 Million of re-granting for projects. 5. Increasing visibility for concrete projects on social innovation, social economy & enterprises, social impact investment under Horizon 2020: LEIT: CAPS – Collective Awareness Platforms for Sustainability and Social Innovation; Innovation in SMEs; Societal Challenges 6 – Inclusive societies. 6. Reinforcing and mainstreaming the experimentation of Digital Social Innovation models under Horizon 2020.

Pillar 5: International dimension 1. Promoting social economy and social enterprises in neighbourhood/enlargement policies and programmes: Launching a programme for enhanced economic development in the Southern Neighbourhood (e.g.: Southern Mediterranean); Developing bilateral and regional support (e.g.: Moldova, Armenia, Western Balkans). 2. Promoting social economy and social enterprises in development policies and SDGs objectives: Conducting a feasibility study under the Partnership Instrument with the FPI; Following up specific projects in Eastern Africa (Ethiopia / Kenya); Promoting inclusive business models through the Inclusive Business Action Network (IBAN); Following up on Framework Partnership Agreements (International Cooperative Alliance/ COM.

Pillar 5: International dimension 3. Economic Diplomacy: promoting the role of social economy and social enterprises in international fora (UNTFSSE, ILGSSE, G20, G7, ILO …): Meetings with international organisations and fora; Possibly organising a conference on "Financing the Social Economy" with ILGSSE (2018). 4. Promoting the relations with International Finance Organisations and Donor Community: Participating in the Global Social Impact Investment Steering group; Capitalizing on the possibilities offered by the new European External Investment Plan (EIP) – Exploring possibilities for a Social Impact Investment Window. 5. Cross-cutting actions: Preparing guidance documents & communication tools for external delegations and to relevant DGs and Services.

Further information https://ec.europa.eu/growth/sectors/social-economy @SocEntEU