Social Economy Europe’s General Assembly (GA) took place Tuesday 17 June 2025 in Padua. Hosted by Banca Etica, the hybrid in-person/online event brought together Social Economy Europe (SEE) member organisations to review progress on the SEE action plan and strategy, approve its 2024 accounts, and confirm strategic priorities for 2025 and beyond.
The GA was chaired by SEE President Juan Antonio Pedreño with the support of SEE Director Sarah de Heusch, and the meeting was followed by a conference organised by Banca Etica, FEBEA, and Social Economy Europe entitled ‘Investing in the future of Social Economy.’
The evening prior the event, Banca Etica treated attendees to dinner at Caffè Pedrocchi – the oldest and most famous historical café in Padua.
SEE President Juan Antonio Pedreño opened the assembly by expressing gratitude to Banca Etica for hosting the GA and recognised the efforts of the SEE team – particularly Director Sarah de Heusch. The president reflected on 2024 as a monumental year of political change that impacted the status of the social economy across Europe:
“2024 was marked by the European elections, for which we prepared a memorandum to keep the social economy high in the EU agenda. There have also been elections in different countries which also impact the consideration of social economy. This is the second consecutive General Assembly we have done in Italy, demonstrating the interest, concern, and affection Italian organisations have in developing the future of the European social economy. Thanks not only to Banca Etica, but also to all the organisations of the Italian social economy for that support.”
-Juan Antonio Pedreño, President, Social Economy Europe
2024 Activity Report and approval of accounts
The organisation’s achievements in 2024 were celebrated, captured in a short video shared at the assembly along with the launch of the SEE 2024 Activity Report.
Key objectives achieved in 2024 included renewing the European Parliament social economy intergroup (Intergroup on the Social Economy and Services of General Interest), securing a commissioner responsible for Social Economy matters (Roxana Mînzatu, DG EMPL), and implementing the European Social Economy Action Plan.
“We set three objectives as part of our memorandum for the European elections: To maintain the social economy intergroup – a crucial place of dialogue between social economy and EU institutions – securing the support and continued commitment from more than 80 MEPs.
“The second was the need for a commissioner responsible for developing the social economy in the European Commission which we successfully negotiated with the awarding of social economy competencies to Roxana Mînzatu.
“Lastly we secured commitment from the Commission that the European Social Economy Action Plan would be pursued through the responsibility of Commissioner Mînzatu.”
– Juan Antonio Pedreño, President, Social Economy Europe
The need for recognition and support for the social economy was emphasised by multiple attendees, particularly considering recent geopolitical challenges.
Beyond policy work, in 2024, SEE network grew by 3 members, increased the share of project funding as well as its team. Positive financial results for 2024 were highlighted, including a budgetary surplus contributed largely from member fees and exceptional contributions. The 2024 accounts were unanimously approved by the GA.
The hard work of the technical team and working group leaders in meeting the 2024 objectives was acknowledged by several members.
Updates from working groups
Input from SEE’s four working groups was presented by their coordinators.
The Disability Working Group‘s efforts to enhance the visibility of the social economy’s impact on disability inclusion were detailed by working group chair Lourdes Márquez de la Calleja (Philea-Fundación ONCE), with a particular focus on upcoming recommendations for humanitarian crises and political participation. A guide focused on women and girls with disabilities is being developed by the group for publishing in 2026.
2024 was an active period for the Social Finance Working Group which saw publication of its position paper on InvestEU which proposed key improvements to the programme and was formally presented to the European Commission and European Investment Bank.
The group will now focus on the midterm review of the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework, as well as ensure the preservation of the ‘social window’ within InvestEU, which remains uncertain in the next programming period.
In 2024 the Governance Working Group developed a new governance body (the Executive Board, replacing the previous Board of Directors) which was adopted last June. In 2025 it has been focused on introducing a new category of members: associate members, which aims to enhance inclusivity within SEE and grow membership by accommodating organisations that do not fit existing membership types. This was unanimously approved by the GA.
In 2024 the Project Working Group identified important topics for SEE, but in the first semester of 2025 it was put on hold as the team focused on submitting important projects to finance key SEE activities. The working group will be relaunched in second semester to reinforce collaboration between members.
An ad hoc communication working group was established in 2024 to reinforce social media activity across SEE and its members.
Planning and approval of the 2025 workplan
The workplan for 2025 was then presented, focusing on the three priority areas of SEE’s strategic plan 2023-2026:
- – Sustainable growth.
- – Internal cohesion.
- – Supporting the development and recognition of the social economy.
The growth of SEE’s funding was underlined, alongside continuous growth of the team. Pascale Zoetaert (ConcertES) board member supervising HR and Communications, discussed the recruitment process for new SEE team members including the high number of applications received and the thorough selection process. The team is also working on an HR policy and communication strategy, with new tools and processes to improve workflow.
The working groups continue to ensure the cohesion and collaboration between members. On policy topics in particular, Antoine Détourné (board member responsible for policy priorities) explained the new process for policy output and the high number of consultations which SEE responded to during the first semester 2025.
Regarding the advocacy work of SEE, in 2025 the Secretariat worked on the establishment of a charter for the European Parliament Intergroup on Social Economy and Services of General Interest. The evaluation and implementation of the SEAP is another important policy topic for SEE, as much as the MFF. In 2025 and the years to come it is of vital importance to raise awareness about the social economy to ensure support of relevant institutional stakeholders.
A plan was outlined to increase visibility for the social economy through a series of events from September to December, beginning with a major international gathering in Murcia involving EU commissioners to mark Social Economy Week, a housing-focused parliamentary intergroup event in October, and a proposed event towards the end of the year in Brussels to bring together EU institutional stakeholders and representatives from major social economy businesses and organisations.
The budget for 2025 was presented and approved including additional income anticipated from membership fees and project funding.
Preparing the next SEE strategy 2026-2030
The GA concluded with a discussion exploring the challenges facing the social economy amidst international uncertainty and deprioritisation in the EU agenda.
With the retreat of the Social Economy Unit from DG GROW, President Pedreño posed the critical question: is this marginalisation part of an intentional agenda or rather the result of ignorance of the ecosystem’s role?
The President highlighted that SEE cannot shape its future in isolation but must understand and respond to global shifts including geopolitical upheaval, industrial reorientation, and the rising emphasis on defence and energy. This requires strategic reflection alongside a renewed, collective effort to build a bold SEE strategy for 2026–2030.
To that end, SEE will launch a participatory process gathering input from across its network, with the goal of presenting a new strategic roadmap for approval at the December assembly.
“We are not a marginal sector,” President Pedreño said, “We are multisectoral, democratic, and indispensable.” The coming months, he stressed, must be used to consolidate the movement, strengthen advocacy, and ensure the social economy is positioned where it belongs – at the heart of Europe’s future.
“We must make it unmistakably clear: the social economy is not a peripheral concern – it is a strategic pillar for Europe’s future. In times of uncertainty and retreat, our role in building democratic, resilient, and people-centred economies is more vital than ever. If policymakers don’t yet see that, then it is our responsibility to make them understand.”
-Juan Antonio Pedreño, President, Social Economy Europe
