1. 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

2. 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).

3. Presentation of the actions
• Implementation of actions scheduled for
• 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.

4. 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).

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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;

9. 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;

10. 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;

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 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.

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