European Funded Project Design EU programmes and funds for social economy

1. European Funded Project DesignEU programmes and funds for social economy Alessandro Carbone ThinkEurope Consulting Athens, May 30, 2011

2. Some facts… In the EU (27 Member States) • Social economy enterprises represent 2 million enterprises (i.e. 10% of all European businesses) • They employ over 11 million paid employees (the equivalent of 6% of the working population of the EU): • out of these, 70% are employed in non-profit associations • 26% in cooperatives • 3% in mutuals • Membership of social economy enterprises are estimatee ranging as high as 160 million EU programmes and funds for SE

3. Social Economy, an added value • Due to their specific way of doing business which associates • economic performance • democratic operation • solidarity • social enterprises contribute to the implementation of important Community objectives in the fields of: • employment • social cohesion • regional and rural development • environmental protection • consumer protection • social security policies. EU programmes and funds for SE

4. What is Social Enterprise in EU Social Economy includes: • Cooperatives • Mutual societies • Non-profit associations • Foundations • Social enterprises EU programmes and funds for SE

5. Social Economy in the EU Agenda • The economic and social significance of Social Economy enterprises is widely recognized by th EU. Their importance is also growing in the face of new emerging needs. • The aim of the Commission's policy towards "social economy" enterprises is to guarantee to them a playing field in which they can compete effectively in their markets and on equal terms with other forms of enterprise, without any regulatory discrimination and respecting their particular principles, modus operandi, needs, particular goals, ethos and working style. EU programmes and funds for SE

6. How the EU supports SE In 1989 the Commission adopted a Communication on "business in Social economy sector". For several years up to 1998 various projects and activities were financed to promote the sector. In 2000, the autonomous European Standing Conference (Conférence Européenne Permanente - CEP) of Co-operatives, Mutual societies, Associations and Foundations (CEP-CMAF) was created. EU programmes and funds for SE

7. How the EU supports SE In 2008, the CEP-CMAF changed its name to “Social Economy Europe” it is the EU-level representative institution for the social economy. “Social Economy Europe” aims to: • promote the social and economic input of social economy enterprises and organisations, • promote the role and values of social economy actors in Europe • reinforce the political and legal recognition of the social economy and of cooperatives, mutual societies, associations and foundations (CMAF) at EU level EU programmes and funds for SE

8. How the EU supports SE Given that Social Economy addresses EU policy regarding employment and social inclusion there are different leveles of financing provided: • Social enterprises can benefit from Community centralised programmes aimed at helping SME’s. • As SMEs, they can benefit from specially targeted social and regional development funds. • In order to promote this special form of entrepreneurship, the Commission finances various projects in areas such as examining and reviewing legislation, identifying and sharing good practices, and collecting statistical data, doing research. EU programmes and funds for SE

9. EU centralised funds for SE Programmes supporting directly SME: • CIP - Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme • CIP call for proposals • CIP financial instruments • CIP - The Enterpreneurship and Innovation Programme (Eco Innovation) EU programmes and funds for SE

10. EU centralised funds for SE Programmes directly supporting social economy matters: • LLP – Lifelong Learning Program • education/ongoing training/professional education, support for training institutions, In Service Training for professionals in the field, etc. • PROGRESS • labor policies, quality of labor, equal opportunities, social inclusion, non discrimination • Erasmus for young enterpreneurs • for young people wanting to learn aborad about enterpreneurship, included SE EU programmes and funds for SE

11. EU centralised funds for SE Programmes where social enterprises are eligible and can offer their unique expertise: • DAPHNE III • prevention and fight against violence on women, children and youngsters • Integration • social inclusion of third country nationals, to support integration policies, strategies and measures • Fundamental rights and citizenship • promotion of human rights and citizenship rights strengthening civil society and fighting against racism, xenophobia and antisemitism EU programmes and funds for SE

12. EU centralised funds for SE • 7 FP • scientific research for SME’s and for building an effective and democratic based society • Life + • support for environmental and nature conservation projects • MED (Mediterranean) • to strengthen the competitiveness, employment and sustainable development of the 13 countries of the Mediterranean area • SEE (South East Europe) • to promote integration, competitiveness, employment and sustainable growth of the 16 countries of the South East Europe area EU programmes and funds for SE

13. EU centralised funds for SE • Transnational cooperation programme • (EL – BG; EL – IT; EL – CY...) • Public Health • to work with the EU countries to improve public health, prevent human illness and eliminate sources of danger to physical and mental health • Youth in Action • To animate youngsters with expereinces to be shared an jnoined and with thought provoking experiences • Europe for Citizens • To allow EU citizens to develop reflection and thoughts on EU themes EU programmes and funds for SE

14. EU centralised funds for SE • EuropAid • Transnational cooperation for the development of third country nationals, in particular for NGO’s active in different countries of the world. • other…. EU programmes and funds for SE

15. EU structural funds • ESF – European Social Fund • to reduce differences in prosperity and living standards across EU Member States and regions, and therefore promoting economic and social cohesion. • In Greece: ESF funding are allocated in training and social services, improving the flexibility of its workforce. Efforts are underway to put an end to undeclared work, to improve the job opportunities for disadvantaged groups – particularly women – in the labour market. EU programmes and funds for SE

16. EU structural funds • ERDF – European Regional Development Fund • addresses regional development, economic change, enhanced competitiveness and territorial co-operation throughout the EU; • by modernising economic structures, creating sustainable jobs and economic growth, research and innovation, environmental protection and risk prevention. EU programmes and funds for SE

17. An example: a EU submitted project about Social Economy “J&F - Education and cooperation: let's build our Job & our Future, together” LLP - Comenius Multilater Project - 2011 EU programmes and funds for SE

18. J & F Rational of the project: • The EU is facing very high youth unemployment figures. • There is the risk of a historical decline of Europe, under the point of view of creativity, innovation, Welfare system. • The co-operative economy represents a very strong answer to this risk: it stimulates people’s entrepreneurial skills, enhancing at the same time employment, democracy and social inclusion. • Among others, schools must make adolescents aware of the social and economical value of the cooperative economy, and must provide them the basic skills necessary to build new enterprises with other people. EU programmes and funds for SE

19. J & F Aim of J&F: it will conceive, test, improve and disseminate a new European model of “Cooperative Education towards Cooperative Economy”. Results of the project will be a pedagogical approach and related materials to train teachers and pupils in the matter, using the methods of Co-operative and active learning. EU programmes and funds for SE

20. J & F The partnership is composed by schools, colleges, universities, association and research centres, working together with organisations of the labour market. Partners: 9 which come from Italy, Poland, Germany, Sweden, Romania, Spain and Greece. Impact: during its life-cycle, J&F will directly involve about 120 teachers and headmasters, and over 1800 students. EU programmes and funds for SE

21. J & F The new European model of “Cooperative Education towards Cooperative Economy” – the expected output of J&F – is aimed at (1): • promoting in the pupils the spirit of initiative and self-entrepreneurship, throughout learning activities and “business simulations” based on their desires, dreams and projects for the future; • helping schools become “learning communities”: new synergies between young people and adults (teachers and not only); development of social / relational skills; learning as a whole, not as the sum of separated subjects …… EU programmes and funds for SE

22. J & F • helping both teachers and students to conceive and use “team groups” as a normal way to learn, as well as a normal way to work inside and outside the (social learning); • improving the social and work “climate” in the school as a strategy to fight against drop – out and de-motivation; • creating stronger links between school and the world of business, notably the cooperative economy, the “social enterprises” and the green economy. EU programmes and funds for SE

23. J & F The foreseen changes are: • promoting a larger use of the cooperative learning approach, linking it to the concrete theme of transition towards the world of work (transition that represents nowadays a very strong concern for young people, families and the same school system); • to address the experiences of “school cooperatives” to a concrete link with the “real” economy out of and after the school; • to develop “Education to cooperative economy” from a traditional approach (lecturers, transmission of theoretical knowledge of economics and law) to a dynamic, active, and motivating approach. EU programmes and funds for SE

24. Thank you!Alessandro Carbonecarbone@thinkeuropeconsulting.eu EU programmes and funds for SE