As we close 2025, Social Economy Europe (SEE) looks back on a year shaped by big milestones, new alliances, and important challenges for the social economy ecosystem.
2025 is a year of fundamental changes for the EU and the world. This has changed EU priorities and negatively impacted the great advances the social economy had seen in the last years. Fortunately, SEE continued to grow in terms of capacity, which allowed it to be proactive, very responsive and to work with most EU institutions. The new and increasing challenges have pushed SEE to be particularly active in different scenes. From organising the Social Economy European Summit in Murcia to representing Europe at the Global Social Economy Forum in Bordeaux, and participating in the UN Task Force on Social and Solidarity Economy meeting in Murcia. We worked closely with our members, partners, and EU institutions to strengthen the place of the social economy at the heart of European policies.
SEE INSIGHTS
Solid membership and increasing themes addressed
SEE brings together European groupings, national umbrella organisations, and European networks that represent over 4 million enterprises and organisations which employ over 11 million persons. This expanding community which grew from 9 to 28 member organisations in 9 years, strengthens our collective voice and allows SEE to remain the leading representative of the social economy at EU level. Working with our members enables us to bring experiences from the ground to inform policymaking at European level. Specific topics are addressed in a continuous manner with our members through working groups on governance, projects, disabilities, social finance and policy.
Touching the ground with projects that deliver impact
In 2025, SEE continued to participate in several European projects that strengthen skills, innovation, and capacity within the social economy. These include BaSE, which focuses on skills mismatches for the upskilling and reskilling of social economy practitioners; LAUREL, which supports care systems in building better services for integrated long-term care; INSPIRE, centred on promoting social inclusion, wellbeing, and prosperity in rural areas; and WISESHIFT, which explores how to leverage Work Integration Social Enterprises (WISEs) for an inclusive and sustainable socioeconomic transition. All these projects help advance our mission on the ground and apply social economy principles in different sectors, while reinforcing collaboration across borders.
Policy consultations
Throughout the year, Social Economy Europe has worked with its members to elaborate responses to 14 European Union public consultations, covering topics such as housing, the Multiannual Financial Framework, public procurement and the EU anti-poverty strategy, among others. SEE has analysed EU initiatives and put forward recommendations demonstrating the unique role that the social economy can play across these different areas.
A CHANGING WORLD ORDER AND NEW EU PRIORITIES
SEAP mid-term review and new challenges
When the European Commission adopted the Social Economy Action Plan (SEAP) in 2021, it marked a milestone for the recognition and development of the social economy across Europe. Developed through extensive stakeholder consultation, the SEAP set out a coordinated vision to strengthen, mainstream, and scale up the social economy by 2030, supported by DG EMPL and DG GROW.
Just a few years on, however, the landscape has evolved. Europe now faces new challenges and shifting political priorities, rapid technological change, and new funding dynamics. Social matters and social economy have been deprioritised, which has been reflected in the ongoing MFF negotiations. Defence and competitiveness are being prioritized at the expense of the EU’s unique model of diversity, dialogue, solidarity and democracy. And the only economy that can answer all of the above, is social economy because it blends all together economic dynamism and innovation, reinvestent in territories and communities, while enabling democratic and participatory practices. The ongoing mid-term review of the SEAP and MFF negotiations offer an opportunity to renew the EU’s ambition and ensure that the plan remains responsive to the needs of the social economy ecosystem and the EU altogether.
Changes in DG GROW
Another significant challenge this year came from DG GROW. On 1 May 2025, the European Commission disbanded the Social Economy Unit within DG GROW, within its department responsible for internal market, industry, entrepreneurship, and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises. SEE mobilized over 400 social economy organizations and enterprises against this backlash.
Despite this setback, the social economy community remains united and supported by strong institutional allies. At the Social Economy European Summit in Murcia, Roxana Mînzatu, Executive Vice-President and EU Commissioner for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness, reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment. She emphasised that anchoring the social economy in DG EMPL represents a step forward and pledged close cooperation with the sector: “You are not alone. You are not forgotten (…) 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.”
EU Multiannual Financial Framework negotiations
Discussions on the future Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) were a key focus in 2025. Social Economy Europe consistently advocated for adequate, stable, and long-term funding for the social economy across EU programmes. Ensuring that financial instruments and funds remain accessible and tailored to the social economy ecosystem is a critical condition for scaling up the social economy impact across Europe. As an example, we took part in the ‘Time for Ambition Coalition’, a broad alliance of great European organisations and networks, contributing to joint advocacy on the MFF 2028-2034 negotiations to promote an ambitious EU budget including a strong social fund and proper recognition for the social economy. This will surely remain a key topic in the year ahead, as negotiations on the new EU budget continue.
Maintaining the dialogue with key institutions
SEE actively participated in governance and advisory bodies such as GECES (European Commission’s Expert Group on the Social Economy and Social Enterprises), served as secretariat of the European Parliament Intergroup on the Social Economy and the Luxembourg Declaration Monitoring Committee, and remained a member of the Civil Society Liaison Group of the EESC. Exchanges were also maintained with the European Investment Bank, the Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera, and EU Commission’s key authorities, including Roxana Mînzatu, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness. Through this sustained dialogue, SEE worked to ensure that the social economy remains firmly anchored in EU policymaking processes and well positioned to contribute to Europe’s long-term social, economic, and environmental goals.
Social Economy and the European Parliament
Social Economy Europe runs the Secretariat of the Social Economy Intergroup and Services of General Interest in the European Parliament, together with SGIE, which fosters dialogue between MEPs and stakeholders. Together, we co-organised events such as the webinar on cooperatives and housing, the presentation of the 8th Report on Ethical Finance in Europe, hosted at the European Parliament by the Intergroup on the Social Economy, or the event on EU Public Procurement Revision that brought together high-level speakers at national and European levels. These spaces are essential for collective intelligence, for bringing different stakeholders together, and for ensuring the social economy remains a key player on the agenda of EU institutions.
A landmark moment, the Social Economy European Summit in Murcia
One of the biggest milestones of the year was the Social Economy European Summit, held in Murcia from 16–18 September. The Summit was co-organised by SEE, the Spanish Ministry of Labour and Social Economy, the City and Region of Murcia, CEPES and Ucomur, and brought together over 600 participants from across Europe, including policymakers, practitioners, researchers, and social economy leaders. The Summit showcased the resilience and innovation of the social economy in addressing today’s challenges. It also celebrated outstanding initiatives putting people before profit through the SEE Social Economy Awards.
Global Social Economy Forum in Bordeaux, a global momentum for the social economy
Social Economy Europe was proud to represent Europe’s social economy at the Global Social Economy Forum in Bordeaux, which gathered 10.000 participants from 100 countries. SEE took part in multiple sessions, including plenaries and thematic roundtables, and co-organised a unique participatory session on the Social and Solidarity Economy across the EU. The presence of SEE President Juan Antonio Pedreño among the keynote speakers underlined the growing recognition of Europe’s leadership in advancing social economy policies and cooperation at a global level.
5th UN Technical Symposium on the Social and Solidarity Economy
Social Economy Europe actively participated in the 5th Technical Symposium of the UN Inter-Agency Task Force on Social and Solidarity Economy (UNTFSSE), which brings together more than 20 United Nations agencies, the OECD, leading European and international Social Economy organisations, as well as high-level authorities and experts from all around the world.
The event was hosted by Murcia as the Spanish Capital of the Social Economy 2025 and it reaffirmed the need to keep the Social Economy high on international and EU political agendas, especially given current attacks and decreased financial support of many governments towards multilateral organizations. The discussions will inform the next UNTFSSE Action Plan and the upcoming UN Secretary-General’s report, shaping future global priorities for the Social and Solidarity Economy.
2026 PROSPECTION
Looking ahead: Social Economy delivering solutions for today and tomorrow
Despite the many difficulties Europe is facing – from social inequalities to the housing crisis, geopolitical tensions, and the green and digital transitions – we are committed to ensuring the social economy is recognised as a driver of resilience, inclusion, competitiveness and innovation.
The negotiations of the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework and the implementation of the Social Economy Action Plan give us a unique opportunity to keep raising our voice and ensure that the social economy remains at the centre of EU policies.
SEE is firmly committed to working with institutions, members, and partners to demonstrate that the social economy is not an alternative, it is a driver of systemic change, an economic model already delivering concrete solutions to the crises Europe faces today.
Together, we will continue shaping a fairer, more democratic, and more sustainable European future.
We wish you happy holidays and end-of-the-year festivities.
Juan Antonio Pedreño, SEE President
Sarah de Heusch, SEE Director
