To mark Social Economy Week – 16–18 September 2025, SEE co-organised the Social Economy European Summit in Murcia – the 2025 Spanish capital of the social economy. The Summit gathered more than 650 participants, 100 international speakers, 200 organisations and government delegations from 27 European and Southern Mediterranean countries, together with high-level EU and national authorities.
The week’s signature event was the high-level conference, ‘Implementing the Social Economy Action Plan (SEAP),’ held on Wednesday 17 September at the Víctor Villegas Auditorium and Congress Centre. It brought together key actors from across the social economy ecosystem to assess the implementation of the SEAP and explore future policy directions.
The conference opened with welcome remarks from representatives of each of the Summit’s co-organisers, highlighting the SEAP’s role in shaping a fairer, more inclusive economy. SEE President Juan Antonio Pedreño called for the full implementation of all measures set out in the Action Plan and the 2023 Council Recommendation in all Member States in order to guarantee stable legal and financial frameworks, with ambitious budget lines in all countries. He stressed the need to keep the social economy at the core of the EU’s industrial policy and to embed it in the European Semester so it helps shape major socio-economic decisions and continued investment in capacity building for social economy entrepreneurs and the promotion of collective entrepreneurship, alongside stronger legal and political recognition for all strands of the social economy—especially in strategic fields such as housing, energy, care, food, and social and technological innovation. He also made 4 recommendations to the next MFF: Firstly, SEE calls for robust and independent FSE+ and ERDF. Secondly, it calls for the explicit inclusion of the social economy (SE) as a priority in the Financial Framework architecture and the National Reform Programmes. Furthermore, the funding architecture of the next MFF must recognise the social economy as a key actor, with its various strands made accessible to social economy actors. Lastly, the InvestEU programme must be strengthened; in particular, the social investment and skills window should be made more transparent and accessible to social economy actors, by offering tailored financing.
He thanked attendees for their commitment to building not just the future of the social economy, but Europe’s future, reminding us that “Alone we are invisible but together we are invicible”
Mayor of Murcia José Ballesta Germán welcomed participants, celebrating Murcia’s role as Spain’s 2025 capital of the social economy. “A strong Europe is built from cities and regions who put people at the centre of their activities,” he said, greeting all those actors who share the commitment to a fair, inclusive and sustainable economy.
President of the Region of Murcia and Vice-President of the European Committee of the Regions Fernando López Miras spoke of the importance of regional development, noting that “our Summit happening in Murcia is not a coincidence—it builds on decades of hard work by Murcia’s social economy actors for an alternative business model putting people and territories before profit.”
Parliament Intergroup Co-Chair Maravillas Abadía reflected on the Intergroup’s role in adopting the SEAP, stating that “only working together will we be able to truly unleash the potential of the social economy, as the example of Murcia has shown—and can be an inspiration for the rest of Europe.” She called for “transversality and a shared agenda to transform goals into real actions.”
From the national perspective, Spanish Secretary of State of Social Economy Amparo Merino Segovia presented Spain’s roadmap and key initiatives. “We can’t allow the social agenda to be left behind,” he insisted. “Today’s conference will allow social economy actors to share best practices and hear from Member States their best policies and financial instruments.”
Overview and Progress of the SEAP
The first panel explored the current state and future implementation of the Social Economy Action Plan (SEAP), focusing on institutional perspectives, key advancements, ongoing challenges, and potential improvements. Moderated by SEE President Juan Antonio Pedreño, the panel reviewed the actions of the plan from the diverse perspectives of the European Commission (EC), European Parliament (EP), the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and the OECD.
Ruth Paserman, Director at DG EMPL in the European Commission, provided insights into the ongoing mid-term review of the SEAP. She noted that “roughly 50 of 63 actions have been completed or are in progress,” and while the SEAP has had real impact on the ground, “we are getting there, but we are not already there.” The Commission will publish the midterm review at the beginning of 2026. She stressed that the biggest challenges remain the full implementation of the recommendation on frameworks in all Member States.
A video intervention from Social Economy and Services of General Interest EP Intergroup Vice-President Idoia Mendía was shared in which the Vice-President discussed her vision for Europe’s social economy as a key to navigating ecological, digital, and demographic transitions. She highlights its proven ability to create economic value while prioritizing people and generating quality jobs, noting that it already accounts for over 8% of the EU’s GDP. Mendia advocates for a new business culture based on the social economy’s values of solidarity, cooperation, and worker participation, and she reaffirms her commitment to ensuring this perspective is represented in the European Parliament’s decisions.
https://youtu.be/VAgY8chXvaE
Following next were remarks from SE and Services of General Interest EP Intergroup Co-Chair Maravillas Abadía, who highlighted the need for strong leadership at Commission level. She welcomed the presence of Executive VP for Social Rights & Skills, Quality Jobs & Preparedness Roxana Mînzatu, noting that “other challenges include full implementation of national frameworks and strategies, and making it easier for social economy entities to access EU funding—due to lack of info, of technical capacity, etc.” ensuring this perspective is represented in the European Parliament’s decisions.
Amal Chevreau, Head of Social Economy and Innovation at the OECD, discussed the cooperation between the European Commission and the OECD. She shared that “there is enough evidence that the social economy has the potential to address many EU priorities,” and emphasised the importance of sustaining the momentum of the SEAP and the global momentum based on the 2022 OECD & ILO recommendations and the 2023 EU recommendation.
Giuseppe Guerini, President of Cooperatives Europe and EESC representative, underlined the role of the social economy in strategic autonomy. “The SE can be a key player in strategic autonomy in Europe,” he said. “SE actors must be prepared to be a key player in the new EU priorities & strategic orientations. With the new MFF we will need national & regional SE action plans.”
Investing in the Social Economy and Services of General Interest
The second panel addressed the challenges faced by SE and SGI actors in the context of broader EU objectives, including the European Pillar of Social Rights, competition policy, the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), and cohesion policy. Moderated by SEE Vice-President Patrizia Bussi, the panel brought together diverse voices from cooperatives, philanthropy, social enterprises, mutuals, and SGIs.
Diana Dovgan, Secretary General of CECOP, spoke from the perspective of cooperatives. She warned that “while the SEAP is an achievement, there is a risk of it falling flat and not being ambitious enough.” She called for “tangible targets up to 2030,” and stressed that “the SE must be recognised & mainstreamed in all upcoming European policies, across all DGs.” She added that social economy entities fit the #MadeInEurope concept not only for producing locally but also for ensuring that the values produced remain in our communities.
Ángel Font Vidal, President of Philea, spoke about the role of philanthropy in supporting SE initiatives. He noted that “philanthropy looks very different country to country,” and that much work lies ahead to balance this approach for social economy ecosystems.
Neva Nahtigal, Vice-President of Social Platform and Director of RREUSE, highlighted the social and environmental dimensions of SE. She stressed the need to recognise the link between the social economy and the Circular Economy, and regretted that the transversality of SE entities is often overlooked. This was expanded upon in RREUSE’s recent report: Unlocking Potential – Social and Circular Economy in the 2025 European Semester.
Antoine Détourné, Secretary General of ESS France, added that “facing destabilisation of our countries & democracy, SE is part of the solution.” He described SE as “an economy of the transitions—green, digital, demographic, social cohesion—and of protection, focusing on people at the core.” He concluded that “social economy contributes to a competitive economy that works better because the human dimension is at the heart of our activities. We are an economy of general interests.”
Sibylle Reichert, Executive Director of AIM, joined the panel online to discuss the unique contribution of mutuals in sectors like health and insurance. She warned of ongoing challenges in sustaining European healthcare systems, accentuated by demographic ageing, chronic diseases, and healthcare workforce gaps. In many countries, mutuals still struggle for legal recognition.
Valeria Ronzitti, Secretary General of SGI Europe, concluded the panel by identifying common challenges and opportunities for collaboration with SE actors. “We should be seen as a proactive actor, not only as a facilitator on the competitiveness topic,” she said. “Let’s all work together in an innovative approach to achieve key EU policies such as the SEAP, European Pillar of Social Rights, etc.”
Developing National Social Economy Strategies
The final panel brought together representatives from EU Member States to reflect on national progress and shared challenges in implementing the SEAP. The discussion aimed to identify effective policies and instruments that strengthen the social economy across Europe and contribute to a robust, coherent agenda focused on implementation.
Petre-Florin Manole, Minister of Labour, Family, Youth and Social Solidarity of Romania, shared how Romania’s SE is regulated and recognised, with EU-funded efforts to improve legislation and visibility. He noted challenges such as limited access to public procurement, dependence on EU funds, and historical prejudices around cooperatives.
Gergana Aleksova-Velikova, Vice-Minister of Labour and Social Policy of Bulgaria, explained how Bulgaria has tripled its social enterprises through two-year plans, training events, and stakeholder networks. She acknowledged ongoing challenges including low awareness, poor competitiveness, and limited visibility, and highlighted tools like tax breaks and a national SE campaign to boost the ecosystem.
Kypros Protopapas, Commissioner of Cooperative Societies and Social Enterprises of Cyprus, described how Cyprus blends tradition and innovation in its SE. Cooperatives date back to 1908 and remain strong post-crisis, while social enterprises are newer but growing, supported by subsidies and legal reforms. Challenges remain around public awareness and outdated mindsets, but Cyprus is working to change that—with funding, procurement access, and a renewed focus on productivity and reinvestment.
Katarzyna Nowakowska, Polish Deputy Minister for Family, Labour and Social Policy, shared insights from Eastern Europe, highlighting the need for tailored strategies and improved visibility for SE actors. She remarked that Poland is now working on updating its SE Strategy being highly committed to Social Economy.
Yolanda Díaz, Second Vice-President and Minister of Labour and Social Economy of Spain, called for more cross-ministry support, fair funding, and equal treatment. In fact, Spain, is working on fair and ethical banking and investment for SE. “We’re not asking for special treatment—we’re asking to be allowed to act,” she said. She also highlighted the added value of Social Economy: “Social economy means 11M jobs – but it’s more than employment. It’s about the value of the good rendered by this model, especially in turbulent times. Every euro generated by the social economy is reinvested into democracy, cohesion, social inclusion, and sustainability.”
Closing Remarks
The conference ended with an address by Vice-President Díaz and SEE’s President Juan Antonio Pedreño who resumed the main points of the conference. He concludes that in a global context marked by rearmament, geopolitical tensions and environmental crises, SE is more than ever a strategic option for the future of Europe. For the EU defence, competitiveness and values SE must continue to be considered a key actor. Therefore he called all actors to unite forces to defend and reinforce a model that puts people, dignity at work, communities and their localities at the centre.
Conclusions were also shared by Roxana Mînzatu, Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness of the European Commission. She affirmed that “the legacy of Spain’s Presidency lives on through the SEAP,” and that Member States are key to advancing social economy policies. “SE is not peripheral—it belongs at the heart of the single market,” she said.
“To boost SE actors, we must revise public procurement directives and State Aid rules. These are the tools to connect ambition with action.” Anchoring the SE in DG EMPL is a step forward, she added, committing to work with SE actors: “You are not alone. You are not forgotten.”
“Social economy means 11 million jobs—but it’s more than employment. It’s about the value of the good rendered by this model, especially in turbulent times.” She concluded: “SE is rooted in local communities—close to citizens’ hearts. I am your partner. Let’s work intensively in the year ahead to boost the sector. The social economy brings a model of political resilience, to reconnect citizens with politicians, with political directions and the EU as a whole.”
Yolanda Díaz, Second Vice-President and Minister of Labour and Social Economy of Spain, concluded the conference by highlighting the neccesity of unlocking the full potential of Social Economy by breaking down the administrative, legislative and other barriers that exist in terms of financing.
“Where some speculate, the social economy repairs; that is the Europe that citizens hope for.with political directions and the EU as a whole.”
“The social economy is fundamental to the European project. We need more social Europe than ever.”
Pictures by Juanchi López and Paula de Diego
