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Social Economy DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR INTERNAL POLICIES POLICY DEPARTMENT A: ECONOMIC AND SCIENTIFIC POLICY Social Economy STUDY Abstract This study assesses the important role the social economy plays in the EU. Priority policies identified to reach its full potential include: 1) digital transformation of social economy, 2) enabling EU cross-sectorial regulatory and financial frameworks, and 3) improving definitions and developing indicators - alternatives to GDP - to focus policies on EU added-value. This document has been commissioned by Policy Department A on behalf of European Parliament´s Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection. IP/A/IMCO/2015-08 May 2016 PE 578.969 EN This document was requested by the European Parliament's Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection. AUTHORS Quentin LIGER, Optimity Advisors Dr Marco STEFAN, Optimity Advisors Jess BRITTON, Optimity Advisors RESPONSIBLE ADMINISTRATOR Mariusz MACIEJEWSKI EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Karine GAUFILLET LINGUISTIC VERSIONS Original: EN ABOUT THE EDITOR Policy departments provide in-house and external expertise to support EP committees and other parliamentary bodies in shaping legislation and exercising democratic scrutiny over EU internal policies. To contact Policy Department A or to subscribe to its newsletter please write to: Policy Department A: Economic and Scientific Policy European Parliament B-1047 Brussels E-mail : [email protected] Manuscript completed in March 2016 © European Union, 2016 This document is available on the Internet at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/studies DISCLAIMER The opinions expressed in this document are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position of the European Parliament. Reproduction and translation for non-commercial purposes are authorised, provided the source is acknowledged and the publisher is given prior notice and sent a copy. Social Economy CONTENTS LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS 5 LIST OF BOXES 6 LIST OF FIGURES 6 LIST OF TABLES 6 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 7 BACKGROUND 21 DEFINING THE SOCIAL ECONOMY 23 1.1. Social Economy in Theory and Policy Making 23 1.2. Defining the Social Economy 25 THE SOCIAL ECONOMY IN THE EU 29 2.1. Size and Scope of the Social Economy in the EU 29 2.2. Size of the Social Economy at the national Level 31 2.3. Main Indicators, Methods and Criteria used in measuring the Social Economy 33 LEGAL FRAMEWORK(S) FOR THE SOCIAL ECONOMY IN EUROPE 36 3.1. Positioning the Social Economy in the EU and Member States’ constitutional Architecture 37 3.2. EU Legal Framework and Recent Initiatives 38 3.2.1. Recognition of Social Economy Actors at the EU Level 38 3.2.2. EU Support to the Social Economy Presence in the Single Market 44 3.3. The Legal Status of Social Enterprises in National Law 46 3.3.1. Existing Differences in Member States’ Legal Systems 46 3.3.2. Social Enterprise – a Social Economy Type on the Rise in EU national Legislations 55 3.4. Role of Social Economy Entities in Europe 56 BEST PRACTICES 60 4.1. The Choice of Best Practices in the Social Economy 60 4.2. Best Practice in Public Authorities’ Support to the Social Economy 61 4.2.1. Improvement of Legislative Environment 61 4.2.2. Financial Support 62 4.2.3. Fostering Synergies between Public Authorities and Social Economy Actors at the Local Level 65 4.3. Best Practices from the Social Economy 66 4.3.1. Democratic Governance Structures leading to Sustainable Socio- Economic Development 66 4.3.2. Best Practices in the Provision of Innovative Solutions to Current Socio-Economic Challenges 68 PE 578.969 3 Policy Department A: Economic and Scientific Policy 4.3.3. Best Practices in Dissemination: Fostering the Institutional and Social Visibility of the Social Economy 69 SOCIAL ECONOMY AND THE DIGITAL SINGLE MARKET 70 5.1. The European Commission’s Digital Single Market Strategy 70 5.1.1. Digital Single Market: Definitions and Recent Developments 70 5.1.2. How is the Social Economy addressed in the Digital Single Market? 72 5.2. Synergies between the Digital Single Market and the Social Economy 73 5.2.1. The Impact of the Digital Single Market on the Single Market 73 5.2.2. The Impact of the Digital Single Market on the Social Economy 73 5.2.3. The Growing Social Use of the Digital Single Market 74 OBSTACLES 77 6.1. Structural Barriers 77 6.2. Regulatory Barriers 79 6.3. Financial Obstacles 80 6.4. Obstacles relating to the Digital Single Market 81 CONCLUSIONS AND POSSIBLE MEASURES 83 REFERENCES 90 APPENDIX – CASE STUDIES 97 Country Case Study no. 1: UK 97 Country Case Study no. 2: Spain 101 Country Case Study no. 3: Italy 106 Country Case Study no. 4: France 111 Country Case Study no. 5: Poland 114 Country Case Study no. 6: Germany 117 4 PE 578.969 Social Economy LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS SEE Social Economy Europe CEP-CMAF European Standing Conference of Co-operatives, Mutual Societies, Associations and Foundations CEPES Spanish Business Confederation of Social Economy CITR Community Investment Tax Relief CoR Committee of the Regions DSM Digital Single Market EESC European Economic and Social Committee ENSIE European Network of Social Integration Enterprises ESF European Social Fund EURICSE European Research Institute on Co-operative and Social Enterprises GDP Gross Domestic Product ILO International Labour Organisation IMCO Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee NAUWC National Auditing Union of Workers’ Co-operatives REVES European Network of Cities and Regions for the Social Economy RLA Regional and Local Authorities SCE Statute for a European Co-operative Society SCOP Société coopérative et participative SGEI Services of General Economic Interests SIP Social Investment Package WISE Work Integration Social Enterprises PE 578.969 5 Policy Department A: Economic and Scientific Policy LIST OF BOXES Box 1: The distinctive Features of the Social Economy 27 Box 2: Defining and Mapping Social Enterprises and their Eco-System in Europe 42 Box 3: Examples of Social Economy Incorporation into the Legal Systems of EU Member States – Case Study Countries. 47 Box 4: Work Integration Social Enterprises (WISEs) 55 Box 5: Social Economy Sub-Sectors 56 Box 6: Networking Replicable Example of Social Economy Business Model in the Provision of SGEI 58 Box 7: EQUAL Programme - Financial Support to Social Economy Entities’ Participation in Policy Planning 63 Box 8: Support for Social Banking in the UK and France 64 Box 9: The Social Investment Tax Relief (SITR) 65 Box 10: Significant Projects developed by REVES 66 Box 11: A Paradigmatic Example: The Mondragon Group 67 Box 12: TheGivingMachine 74 Box 13: Run Native 75 Box 14: Need for Recognition of the Social Economy added Value in Latvia 79 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: The social economy test 8 Figure 2: Absolute Numbers and Share of the working Population employed in the Social Economy 9 Figure 3: OECD example of alternatives to GDP – the better life initiative 10 Figure 4: The social economy test 26 Figure 5: Absolute Number and Share of the working Population employed in the Social Economy 31 Figure 6: OECD example of alternatives to GDP – the better life initiative 35 Figure 7: Legal Status of the Social Economy 46 Figure 8: Need for EU Action 83 LIST OF TABLES Table 1: some social economy indicators – case study countries 9 Table 2: Rationale for Case Study Selection 22 Table 3: Number of Social Enterprises and other Data for each Case Study Country based on the EU definition of a social enterprise. 32 Table 4: Social Economy Main Sectors of Economic Activities in the EU 58 Table 5: Recommendations 84 6 PE 578.969 Social Economy EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Definitions The social economy is a sector of the market which operates between the public and the private sphere. Despite the efforts of academics, EU institutions, international organisations, national governments and social economy representatives in trying to provide a common analytical framework, a universally accepted definition of the social economy still does not exist. The main analytical difficulties that need to be overcome in attempting to define the social economy are: clarifying the distinction between the different forms of social economy activities and identifying the differences that exist when comparing these entities, the other private economic players and the public sector. Distinctive features of the social economy can be identified on the basis of what sets them apart from other enterprises. These elements, which form the basis of a “social economy test” to distinguish social economy actors from those operating in similar but different sectors, such as the collaborative or sharing economy, include: the primacy of the person: the social economy is based on the primacy of the individual and of social objectives over capital, sustainable growth: the overall aim of the social economy activities does not emphasise the pursuit of profit and its distribution to owners as an ultimate goal, social and economic balance: in conducting their activities, social economy actors focus on social aims, and democratic governance and ownership: social economy entities function in accordance with democratic, transparent and participatory decision-making processes. The social economy basis is made up of individuals deciding to collaborate on a voluntary, co-operative and reciprocal basis; ownership of the capital does not determine the decision-making process. PE 578.969 7 Policy Department A: Economic and Scientific Policy Figure 1: The social economy test Primacy of the person Social and economic Focus on the social objective balance over capital. The result of In conducting their activities, collective dynamics involving social economy actors people belonging to a combine a social aim community or to a group (including sometime SGEI) that shares a well-defined need or aim. The social economy test Sustainable growth Democratic governance The overall aim of the social and ownership economy activities does not The social economy entities emphasize the pursuit of function in accordance with profit and its distribution to democratic, transparent and the owners as an ultimate participatory decision- goal.
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