1. Cooperatives Europe European Region of the ICA SOCIAL ECONOMY: A KEY SECTOR FOR GROWTH AND JOBS IN THE GLOBAL CRISIS: A EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE Rainer Schlüter Director Regional ICA

2. W HO WE ARE : Cooperatives Europe, organisation, key figures, challenges S OCIAL E CONOMY IN E UROPE – challenges: structure and representatives, identity and wording, who is in and who is out? B EYOND LEGAL DEFINITION AND WORDS : 3 strategies of political integration at EU level – SE as employer organisations, SE an essential part of civil society, SE part of the new social movements R ECENT EVOLUTIONS, PROPOSALS FOR C OMMON ACTION Social Economy – a key actor for growth and jobs in the global crisis. A European perspective

3. 176 national Cooperative organisations in 33 European countries are members of Cooperatives Europe representing 263.000 co-operative enterprises 160 million members 5,5 million jobs At European level Co-operatives are organised in 7 business sectors, 6 are members of Cooperatives Europe (agriculture, banking, housing, industry and services, consumer, pharmacies), the insurance sector is not a member (AMICE) Social Economy – a key actor for growth and jobs in the global crisis. A European perspective W HO WE ARE Cooperatives Europe Key figures

4. Social Economy – a key actor for growth and jobs in the global crisis. A European perspective R EPRESENTATIVENESS OF C OOPERATIVES E UROPE

5. N UMBER OF C O - OPERATIVE ENTERPRISES MEMBER OF C OOPERATIVES E UROPE (EU)

6. Jobs in co-operatives, members of Cooperatives Europe (Employer)

7. -structure, representativeness, capacity -Identity and wording -Who is in and who is out? Social Economy – a key actor for growth and jobs in the global crisis. A European perspective S OCIAL E CONOMY in Europe

9. Confusing wordings but more then 10% of European Economy -Social and Solidarity Economy -Solidarity Economy -Community Economy -Third Sector -Third System -Not for profit -CMAF

10. For profit or not, private or public, enterprises or not

11. Three strategies of political integration at European level: SE AS EMPLOYER ORGANISATIONS : are we a different and better employer?, particularly in the recent economic crisis (restructuring, take overs,...) SE AN ESSENTIAL PART OF CIVIL SOCIETY (coops biggest membership orhanisation ) do we have common request to public policy? Public procurement, state aid, tax, participation&consultation SE PART OF THE NEW SOCIAL MOVEMENTS : do we want to change our society? Attac, New economic order, Slow Economy, Fair&Square, Alternative Economy Social Economy – a key actor for growth and jobs in the global crisis. A European perspective B EYOND LEGAL DEFINITION AND WORDS

12. Co-operative organisations vested with a negotiation mandate as Empoyer organisations

13.  CEGES recent crisis, CEPES, new law for SE Employer organisation, Solidarity Economy FR in CES, Social Enterprise law (IT)  Restructuring, worker take overs, privatisations, new role for Social Economy and Co-operatives  Large unemployment, cooperative and SE selfhelp on the agenda  Ethical and responsible economic behaviour, stronger awareness in society  Increase of Ethical finance  Cooperating together north and south, consumers, financers and producers  Stronger co-operative business integration between north and South  Visibility of our ethical business model  Build new and strong alliances (TU, LA, Solidarity Economy, NGO’s….) Social Economy – a key actor for growth and jobs in the global crisis. A European perspective R ECENT EVOLUTIONS AND PROPOSALS FOR COMMON ACTION

14. Rainer Schlüter Cooperatives Europe 105, Ave Milcamps – BE1030 Brussels r.schluter@coopseurope.coop www.coopseurope.coop Social Economy – a key actor for growth and jobs in the global crisis. A European perspective