As RIPESS Europe we supported the SEE campaign for the renewal of the Social Economy Intergroup and we are happy for the result.
Below you can read the anouncement by Social Economy Europe.

This year Social Economy Europe has been carrying out an intensive campaign to renew the Social Economy Intergroup, following the European Elections. Finally, it is official, the Social Economy & Services of General Interest Intergroup has been officially approved!

Why is it so important to have an integroup? An intergoup is “unofficial groupings of MEPs who are interested in a particular topic that does not necessarily fall within the scope of the European Parliament’s normal work but may be of interest to wider society. Intergroups hold informal discussions and promote exchanges between MEPs and civil society”. As social economy is an ecosystem active in all sectors of activities and is impacted by many transversal policies, it is crucial to have this space of dialogue with MEPs from different EU groupings, active in different EP committees.
Continuously active since 1990, the Social Economy Intergroup has been key for the recent main milestones on Social Economy at European level:

–    The Social Economy Action Plan, approved in December 2021,
–    The Council Recommendation to Member States on developing social economy frameworks conditions,
–    And the Transition Pathway for the Proximity and Social Economy Ecosystem.

Social Economy Europe has been secretariat to the Social Economy Intergroup from the beginning and a strong mobilizing force to ensure its continuity. The objective for this mandate is to continue supporting the implementing of the Social Economy Action Plan, and making sure social economy is a key actor taken into consideration to address key EU challenges such us housing, energy, reindustrialization, economic sovereignty, green transition, upskilling and reskilling, care and healthcare, strengthening democracy, gender equality… Because Social Economy is a driver of both the reindustrialization and social Europe, therefor a key actor of the EU prosperity.

This mandate the European Parliament let room for 28 intergroups, and the competition was fierce. To ensure the renewal of an intergroup on social economy, we decided to join forces with the one on services of general interest, as many important policies of common interest will be addressed in this EU legislature (such as public procurement, state aid, taxation…).

The renewal of this intergroup was not an easy task. On the social economy side, it is the mobilization of many stakeholders, especially MEPs and actors of the Social Economy ecosystem that made it possible. Therefore, we cannot thank enough all the committed Members of the European Parliament, other SE networks, all Members of Social Economy Europe, their members, and all the social economy enterprises and organization behind for their strong, solid and consistent support. In particular, SEE would like to thank the MEPs that stood by social economy from the start and whose mobilization was key in ensuring support of EU groupings. More specifically, we would like to thank Maravillas Abadía Jover (EPP), Irene Tinagli (S&D), Ignazio Marino (Greens), Stéphanie Yon-Courtin (Renew) and Lii Andersson (The Left), as well as their teams. There were many more MEPs that supported us, that we also want to thank, and we apologize as we do not have room here to thank them all, but we are certain they will recognize themselves and we look forward to working with each one of them.

It is also remarkable that along with the renewal of the Intergroup, the President of the Commission, Ms. Ursula von Der Leyen has appointed a Commissioner in charge of Social Economy, and what is more an Executive Vice-President of the Commission, Ms. Roxana Mînzatu. With these two achievements SEE has accomplished its main objectives linked to the European Elections. With these, SEE is laying the foundations to ensure Social Economy is fostered at the highest political European level (Commission and Parliament) for the coming years.

So now we can all enjoy a well-deserved break, charge our batteries for the work that awaits us to ensure Social Economy and the General Interest stay high on the EU agenda!

Source: Social Economy Europe