The European Commission’s Social Economy Action Plan

On the 9th of December, 2021, the European Commission published its Social Economy Action Plan, in which it acknowledges the important role of cooperatives and other social economy agents when offering specific, innovative solutions to the current challenges, as well as their role in the reconstruction after the crises.

The Plan includes 38 specific actions aimed at helping the European social economy to prosper, taking advantage of its economic potential and job creation, as well as the contribution to a fair and comprehensive recovery and to the green and digital transitions.

The Covid-19 pandemic has meant that the change to a fair, sustainable and resistant economic model has become stronger than before. The aim of the action plan is to improve social investment, support the social economy agents and the social companies in order for them to start up, extend, innovate and create jobs. It will do this through a series of initiatives in the following three areas: creation of suitable framework conditions for the social economy to prosper, the opening up of opportunities and support to the development of skills and the increase in the recognition of the social economy and its potential.