The Portuguese government withdrew from its status as a member of CASES – Cooperativa António Sérgio para a Economia Social, following a Council of Ministers Resolution adopted on 28 November 2025 in the context of a broader ministerial reform.
This decision will lead to the disappearance of a key player that promotes social economy and accredits the cooperative sector in Portugal, putting at risk more than 15 years of accumulated expertise in cooperative development and social economy policy. Deolinda Meira, Coordinating Professor and Director of the Master’s Degree in Management and Legal-Business Regime of the Social Economy at the Polytechnic Institute of Porto/ISCAP, wrote an article with a legal perspective on why this decision should be reversed.
In light of this situation, Juan Antonio Pedreño, President of Social Economy Europe, sent a letter to the Portuguese Minister for Labour, Solidarity and Social Security, requesting a meeting to discuss ways to reverse the situation. Social Economy Europe is committed to preserving and strengthening the role of CASES as a key reference body for the development of the Social Economy in Portugal and also at the European level.
