2008/2250(INI) | [ParlTrack]

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Considers that the social economy is important, in view of what it symbolises and the results it achieves, as a means of enhancing industrial and economic democracy;

Amendment 2 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Stresses the importance of the social economy in relation to services of general interest, and highlights the added value created by setting up public-private integrated networks, but also the risk of their being exploited as a pretext for outsourcing with a view to reducing the costs borne by public authorities, including by having recourse to services provided by the voluntary sector;

Amendment 3 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Calls on the competent authorities and operators in the sector to assess and enhance the role of women in the social economy, both in quantitative terms, given the high rate of employment of women in all fields of the sector, including associations and voluntary work, and in terms of the quality and organisational aspects of work and service provision; is concerned about the persisting problem of vertical integration, even in the social economy, which limits the participation of women in decision-making;

Amendment 4 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)

3b. Calls on government, national and local authorities and on operators in the sector to encourage and support the potential synergies which could be generated in the service sector by stakeholders in, and users of, the social economy by broadening the scope of participation, consultation and co- responsibility;

Amendment 5 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 c (new)

3c. Urges the Member States to make provision for training projects involving higher education, university and vocational training courses designed to create awareness of the social economy and of business initiatives based on its values;

Amendment 6 #

Sirpa PIETIKÄINEN

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Takes the view that the European Union and the Member States should recognise the social economy and its stakeholders – cooperatives, mutual societies, associations and foundations – in their legislation and policies~~, and provide for measures - such as easy access to credit and tax relieves~~. Those measures should include easy access to credit and tax relief, the development of microcredits, the establishment of European statutes for associations, foundations and mutual societies, as well as tailored EU funding and incentives - to better support social economy organisations operating within market and non-market sectors, which are created for the purpose of social utility.

Amendment 7 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Considers that the removal of the proposals for a European Mutual Society Statute and a European Association Statute from the Commission's agenda has been a serious setback for the development of those forms of SE within the European Union and therefore urges the Commission to review its agenda;

Amendment 8 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)

4b. Asks the Commission to establish a European think tank on co-operative banks and other financial services related SE organisations in order to conduct a study investigating how these specific SE entities have performed at EU level to date - in particular during the ongoing global credit and financial crises - and how they will avoid future risks in this respect;

Amendment 9 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 c (new)

4c. Calls on the Commission to take account of the realities of the social economy when reviewing the policy on State aid, given that small businesses and organisations operating at local level encounter considerable difficulties in accessing funding, particularly during the current economic and financial crisis; also calls on the Commission not to obstruct national company law and fiscal provisions such as those applying to cooperatives in the banking sector and the distribution sector which operate on the basis of mutualist principles, company democracy, the intergenerational transmission of assets, indivisible reserves, solidarity, the work ethic and business ethics;

source: PE-415.249

2008/11/21 EMPL 86 amendments...

Amendment 1 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 7 a (new)

- having regard to its resolution of 17 June 2008 on the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion (2010)1 , ____________ 1 Ρ6_ΤΑ (2008)0286

Amendment 10 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)

Aa. whereas the social economy is based on a social paradigm which is in line with the fundamental principles of the European social model,

Amendment 11 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital B

B. whereas the social economy models ~~have~~should consequently ~~become the standard that should~~ be built on to achieve the aims of economic growth, employability, training and personal services as common objectives to be shared by all the European policies,

Amendment 12 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C

C. whereas the wealth and stability of society derives from its diversity, and whereas the social economy actively contributes to that by improving and reinforcing the European social model and by providing a distinctive business ~~model that enables the social economy to~~pattern which could contribute to stable and sustainable growth,

Amendment 13 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)

Ca. whereas one visible effect of the social economy in the EU is its contribution to social inclusion and whereas this role will tend to increase in the coming years,

Amendment 14 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)

Cb. whereas the social economy has demonstrated that it can greatly improve the social status of disadvantaged people (as has been shown, for example, by the microcredit cooperatives devised by Mohammed Yunus which, facilitating financial inclusion, have given women a voice, purchasing power and negotiating capacity in countries where their social and financial position was marginal),

Amendment 15 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital D

D. whereas the social economy represents 10 % of all European businesses, with two million undertakings or 6 % of total employment, and has great potential for generating and maintaining stable employment, mainly thanks to the non- delocalization characteristics of its activities,

Amendment 16 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)

Da. whereas social economy enterprises are usually SMEs contributing to a sustainable economic model whereunder individuals are more important than capital and whereas such undertakings are often present in the single market and therefore need to ensure that their activities comply with legislative provisions,

Amendment 17 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)

Da. whereas the social economy has a substantial capacity for social innovation, encouraging those facing difficulty to find solutions to their own social problems (for example by providing proximity services, which have a positive impact on reconciling professional and private life, gender equality, the quality of family life, and care for children, older people and people with disabilities),

Amendment 18 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital E

E. whereas the social economy has developed from particular organisational and/or legal business formations such as cooperatives, mutual societies, associations, social enterprises and organisations, foundations and other entities in each of the Member States; whereas it covers a range of terms used in the various Member States such as ‘the solidarity economy’, ‘third sector’, ‘platform’ or even ‘third system’, and although these are not described as ‘social economy’ in all the Member States comparable activities sharing the same features exist throughout Europe,

Amendment 19 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital E

E. whereas the social economy has developed from particular organisational and/or legal business formations such as cooperatives, mutual societies, associations, foundations and other entities in each of the Member States; whereas it covers a range of terms used in the various Member States such as ‘the solidarity economy’~~, ‘third sector’, ‘platform’ or even ‘~~ and ‘the third s~~ystem~~ector’, and although these are not described as ‘social economy’ in all the Member States comparable activities sharing the same features exist throughout Europe,

Amendment 2 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 7 b (new)

- having regard to its resolution of 23 May 2007 on promoting decent work for all1 , ____________ 1 OJ C 102 Ε, 24.4.2008, p. 321.

Amendment 20 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)

Ea. whereas there is a need to recognise the statute of some forms of the social economy at EU level, taking into account the rules of the internal market, in order to reduce bureaucratic obstacles to obtaining Community funding,

Amendment 21 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F

F. whereas the social economy gives prominence to a business model that cannot be characterised either by its size or by its areas of activity, but by its respect for common values, which are the primacy of democracy and the participation of social stakeholders; and of the individual and social objectives over capital; defence and implementation of the principles of solidarity and responsibility; the conjunction of the interests of its user members with the general interest; democratic control by its members; voluntary and open membership; management autonomy and independence in relation to public authorities; and mobilisation of the bulk of surpluses in pursuit of the aims of sustainable development, of service to its members and the general interest,

Amendment 22 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F

F. whereas the social economy gives prominence to a business model that cannot be characterised either by its size or by its areas of activity, but by its respect for common values, which are the primacy of the individual and social objectives over ~~capital~~individual gain; defence and implementation of the principles of solidarity and responsibility; the conjunction of the interests of its user members with the general interest; democratic control by its members; voluntary and open membership; management autonomy and independence in relation to public authorities; and mobilisation of the bulk of surpluses in pursuit of the aims of sustainable development, of service to its members ~~and~~in accordance with the general interest,

Amendment 23 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)

Fa. whereas, despite its importance, the social economy remains a little-known sector and is often a target of criticisms stemming from misguided technical approaches,

Amendment 24 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)

Fa. whereas one of the most important problems that the social economy faces in the EU is its institutional invisibility, which is due to the peculiarities of national accounting systems, which give little room for a third sector that is neither public nor private; whereas this institutional invisibility is at odds with the increasing importance of the organisations that form part of the social economy,

Amendment 25 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)

Fa. whereas the social economy is a central instrument in the context of social inclusion and whereas decent employment, training and reinsertion should be linked to it,

Amendment 26 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Points out that the social economy plays a primordial role in the European economy, ~~by combining profitability with solidarity,~~ enabling high-quality job creation and strengthening social and regional cohesion, generating social capital, promoting active citizenship, and solidarity ~~and~~, acting as a business incubator for new social and economic initiatives, creating a vision of another type of economy, with democratic values, which puts people first and supports sustainable development;

Amendment 27 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Points out that the social economy plays a primordial role in the European economy, by combining profitability with solidarity, enabling high-quality job creation and strengthening social and regional cohesion, active citizenship, solidarity ~~and~~, sustainable development and social, environmental and technological innovation;

Amendment 28 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Points out that the social economy plays a primordial role in the European economy, by combining profitability with solidarity, enabling high-quality job creation and strengthening social, economic and regional cohesion, active citizenship, solidarity and sustainable development;

Amendment 29 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Considers the social economy to be important, both symbolically and in terms of performance, for the purpose of strengthening industrial and economic democracy;

Amendment 3 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 7 c (new)

- having regard to its resolution of 9 October 2008 on promoting social inclusion and combating poverty, including child poverty, in the EU 1 , ____________ 1 Ρ6_ΤΑ (2008)0467

Amendment 30 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Observes that the social economy can only prosper and develop its full potential if it has the benefit of suitable political, legislative and operational conditions, taking due account of the wealth of diversity among social economy institutions and the specific features thereof, with different needs;

Amendment 31 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Observes that the social economy can only prosper and develop its full potential if it has the benefit of suitable political, legislative and operational conditions and prerequisites;

Amendment 32 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Underlines the fact that an economic system wherein social economy enterprises play a more significant role would reduce exposure to speculation in financial markets on which some private companies are not subject to the supervision of shareholders and regulatory bodies;

Amendment 33 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Considers that social economy enterprises should not be subject to the same interpretation of the rules of competition law as other undertakings and that they need a secure legal framework, based on recognition of their specific values, in order to be able to operate on a level playing field with such other undertakings;

Amendment 34 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Points out that the Commission has repeatedly recognised the concept of the social economy; stresses that, over and above recognising the concept, the Commission must change its behaviour and respect the special needs of the social economy in all its fields of activity; stresses that the social economy serves to transpose into action and implement fundamental rights, and calls for this action to be protected against interventions in the framework of competition policy; stresses in this connection the significance of the Monti package, which lays down the regulatory framework for State aid;

Amendment 35 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Calls on the Member States to encourage the developing organisations to support small to medium-sized social economy organisations with aspirations to reduce grant dependency and enhance sustainability;

Amendment 36 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)

5b. Calls on the Commission to promote dialogue between public agencies and representatives of the social economy at national and EU level and thus foster mutual understanding and promote good practices;

Amendment 37 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 c (new)

5c. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to support the development of skills and professionalism in the sector, in order to enhance the role of the social economy in labour market integration;

Amendment 38 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Notes that there is a need for the recognition of European statutes for associations, mutual societies and foundations to ensure that social economy enterprises receive equal treatment in the internal market’s regulations; ~~notes~~criticises the fact that the Commission has withdrawn the two proposals on Statutes for a European association1 and a European mutual society2;

Amendment 39 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Notes that there is a need for the recognition of European statutes for associations, mutual societies and foundations to ensure that social economy enterprises receive equal treatment ~~in the internal market’s regulations~~; notes that the Commission has withdrawn the two proposals on Statutes for a European association and a European mutual society;

Amendment 4 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 10

- having regard to the Commission Communication on ‘Strengthening the local dimension of the European Employment Strategy’ (COM(2001)0629) and tohe Commission Communication on ‘Acting Locally for Employment: A Local Dimension for the European Employment Strategy’ (COM(2000)0196), as well as Parliament’s resolution of 4 July 2002 on strengthening the local dimension of the European Employment Strategy1,

Amendment 40 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Stresses that employers in the social economy are significant agents of reinsertion, and welcomes their efforts to create and maintain high-quality, good, stable jobs and to invest in workers; calls on the Commission and the Member States to support and strengthen the social economy in its role as a good employer and to respect its special status;

Amendment 41 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Considers that the Commission's withdrawal of its proposals for a European Mutual Society Statute and a European Association Statutes a serious setback for the development of these forms of social economy within the EU; therefore urges the Commission to review its work programme accordingly;

Amendment 42 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Calls on the Commission to ensure that the European Private Company will be a form of company that may be adopted all types of businesses;

Amendment 43 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to develop a legal framework that recognise the social economy as a third sector;

Amendment 44 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 b (new)

7b. Calls on the Commission to set up clear rules for establishing which entities can legally operate as social economy enterprises and introducing effective legal barriers to entry so that no non-social economy organisation are able to benefit from financing destined for social economy enterprises or from public policies designed to encourage social economy enterprises;

Amendment 45 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to support the creation of national statistical registers for social economy businesses, to establish national satellite accounts for each institutional sector and branch of activity and allow for this data to be included in Eurostat~~, as the bundled indicator method is a tool that is readily available~~;

Amendment 46 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to support the creation of national statistical registers for social economy businesses, to establish national satellite accounts for each institutional sector and branch of activity and allow for this data to be included in Eurostat, a~~s the bundled indicator method is a tool that is readily available~~lso by making use of competences available in Universities;

Amendment 47 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)

8a. Points out that that the measurement of the social economy is complementary to the measurement of non profit institutions (NPIs), calls on the Commission and Member States to promote the use the UN Non Profit Handbook and to prepare satellite accounts which will improve the visibility of NPIs and civil society organisations;

Amendment 48 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Supports the fact that the components of the social economy should be recognised in the European inter-sectoral social dialogue and insists that the process for including social economy actors in social consultations and the civil dialogue should be ~~encouraged~~strongly supported by both the Commission and the Member States;

Amendment 49 #

Françoise CASTEX

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Supports the fact that the components of the social economy should be recognised in the European sectoral and inter-sectoral social dialogue and insists that the process for including social economy actors in social consultations and the civil dialogue should be encouraged;;

Amendment 5 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 11 a (new)

- having regard to its resolution of 22April 2008 on the role of volunteering in contributing to economic and social cohesion *, _____________ P6_TA(2008)0131.

Amendment 50 #

Anne FERREIRA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

Amendment 51 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Points out that social economy enterprises and organisations help to strengthen the entrepreneurial spirit, facilitate better democratic functioning of the business world and incorporate social responsibility;

Amendment 52 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Points out that social economy enterprises help to strengthen the entrepreneurial spirit, facilitate better democratic functioning of the business world ~~and~~, incorporate social responsibility and promote the active social integration of vulnerable categories;

Amendment 53 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Points out that the social economy ~~enterprises help to strengthen the entrepreneurial spirit, facilitate better democratic functioning of the business world and incorporate social responsibility~~includes a wide diversity of institutions which contribute to strengthening economic and social development and greater democratic participation;

Amendment 54 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)

10a. Stresses that the social economy helps to rectify three major labour market imbalances: unemployment, job instability and the social and labour exclusion of the unemployed;

Amendment 55 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)

10a. Notes that the social economy creates jobs that normally do not delocalize which, given the various forms of enterprises, contributes for the accomplishment of the Lisbon Strategy goals;

Amendment 56 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)

10a. Notes that the social economy will help the Commission meet its employment goals set out in the Lisbon Strategy, notably by improving employability;

Amendment 57 #

José Albino SILVA PENEDA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)

10a. Considers that the support of states for social economy enterprises should be interpreted as a genuine investment in creating solidarity networks that can strengthen the role of local communities and authorities in developing social policies;

Amendment 58 #

José Albino SILVA PENEDA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 b (new)

10b. Considers that social problems call for reflection, but that in the present circumstances what is most needed id action; considers that most social problems should be approached through local solutions, in order to deal with practical situations and problems; considers that, in order to be effective, such action calls for strict coordination and complementarity rules, which means a high level of cooperation between public authorities and social economy enterprises;

Amendment 59 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11

11. Notes that, because they are strongly tied in to the local level, social economy enterprises and other bodies enable links to be created between citizens and their regional, national and European representative bodies, and are able to contribute to ~~European governance that~~greater participation isn e~~ffective for~~conomic life and social cohesion; assesses very favourably the efforts of social economy enterprises and organisations to regroup within coordination platforms at European Union level;

Amendment 6 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 13 a (new)

- having regard to the Commission Communication "A renewed commitment to social Europe: Reinforcing the Open Method of Coordination for Social Protection and Social Inclusion" (COM (2008)0418) and the first biannual report on SSGI (SEC (2008) 2179/2),

Amendment 60 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)

11a. Points out that the social economy has a key role to play in attaining the Lisbon goals of sustainable growth and full employment, since it counteracts the numerous imbalances on the labour market, in particular by supporting female employment, and establishes and provides community care services (such as social, health, and welfare services), in addition to creating and maintaining the economic fabric of society, thus helping to promote local development and social cohesion;

Amendment 61 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 b (new)

11b. Believes that the EU should seek to establish a frame of reference for the social economy action programme, thereby enhancing its competitiveness and capacity for innovation at local level, bearing in mind – given that economies are first and foremost cyclical systems – that the social economy can provide stability by redistributing and reinvesting profits locally, where appropriate, fostering an entrepreneurial culture, gearing economic activities to local needs, supporting activities entailing a degree of risk (craft industries, for example), and generating social capital;

Amendment 62 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 c (new)

11c. Points to the importance of the social economy as regards services of general interest; points to the added value provided by public-private integrated networks, as well as to the risk of exploitation, for instance in the form of outsourcing to help public authorities cut their costs, not least by making use of contributions in the form of voluntary work;

Amendment 63 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 d (new)

11d. Calls on the Commission to incorporate the social economy into its other policies and strategies in the sphere of social, economic, and enterprise development, especially in connection with the ‘Small Business Act’, bearing in mind that social economy entities carrying on socio-economic activities might prove particularly useful for SMEs and services of general interest; urges the Commission, in addition, to look again at the possibility of reactivating a social economy unit;

Amendment 64 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 e (new)

11e. Calls on the authorities concerned and operators on the ground to assess and develop the role of women in the social economy, both quantitatively, given the high female employment rate in every one of its component sectors, including voluntary organisations and voluntary work, and in qualitative terms, especially as regards the ways of organising work and delivering services; expresses its disquiet at the fact that, even within the social economy, the phenomenon of vertical segregation continues to exist and is restricting the say that women have in decision-making;

Amendment 65 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 f (new)

11f. Calls on national and local government authorities, and operators on the ground, to promote and support the forms of synergy in the services field that could be achieved between social economy actors and users by broadening the scope of participation, consultation, and empowerment;

Amendment 66 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 g (new)

11g. Calls on the Member States to organise training projects, at higher education and university level and in vocational education, with a view to imparting knowledge of the social economy and of the forms of enterprise based on its values;

Amendment 67 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 h (new)

11h. Believes that the EU and the Member States should recognise the social economy and its component entities (cooperatives, mutual societies, associations, and foundations) in their legislation and policies and provide for measures, for example easy access to credit, incentives, and tax relief, aimed at supporting social economy organisations operating in market and non-market sectors, having been set up for socially useful purposes;

Amendment 68 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 i (new)

11i. Calls on the Commission to establish an EU think-tank on co-operative banks and other financial services that might be of interest to social economy organisations which would study how these specific social economy entities have performed so far in the EU - especially during the current global credit and financial crises - and how they will avert future risks of this kind;

Amendment 69 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 j (new)

11j. Calls on the Commission to allow for social economy entities when revising State aid policy, bearing in mind that small businesses and organisations active at local level find it very difficult to obtain credit, especially in the current economic and financial crisis; also calls on the Commission to refrain from obstructing national company and tax laws such as those aimed at banking and retailing and distribution cooperatives, which operate according to the principles of mutualism, company democracy, assets handed down from one generation to the next, indivisible reserves, the work ethic, and business ethics;

Amendment 7 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital A

A. whereas the so-called European social model is structured mainly on a high level of services, goods and jobs ~~generated by~~in which the social economy plays a significant role and with the support of forecasting and innovation capacities developed by its promoters,

Amendment 70 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Highlights the fact that part of the social economy enterprises are micro- enterprises and small businesses that may lack the necessary resources to operate in the internal market and participate in national and European programmes, and proposes that resources be put in place to enable them to improve their contribution to the Union’s sustainable economic growth as well as programmes dedicated to aid the transformation of enterprises into worker-owned undertakings;

Amendment 71 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Highlights the fact that part of the social economy enterprises are micro- enterprises and small businesses that may lack the necessary resources to operate in the internal market and participate in national and European programmes, and proposes t~~hat resources be put in place~~argeted support and instruments to enable them to improve their contribution to the Union’s sustainable economic growth;

Amendment 72 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)

12a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to develop programmes directed towards potential and existing social enterprises offering financial support, information, advice and training and to simplify the process of establishment (including reducing the initial capital requirements for companies), in order to help them cope with an economy which is more and more global and which is currently affected by a financial crisis;

Amendment 73 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 b (new)

12b. Emphasises that social economy enterprises encounter more difficulties than large companies, for example in coping with regulatory burdens, in obtaining financing, and in accessing new technology and information;

Amendment 74 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

13. ~~Urges the Commission to continue~~Considers that the social economy its ~~work of dialogue and clarification with the parties concerned and to support the Member States with regard to services of general interest and social services of general int~~not a substitute for the achievements and public management of public services, but may act as a significant complement theresto;

Amendment 75 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

13. Urges the Commission to continue its work of dialogue and clarification with the parties concerned and to support the Member States with regard to services of general interest and social services of general interest and make use of the bundled indicator method;

Amendment 76 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

Amendment 77 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14

14. Calls on the Commission to ensure that the features of the social economy (aims, values and working methods) are taken into account when devising European policies, by ~~ensuring there is better coordination between policies and the directorates-general in charge of those policies, particularly the Directorate- General for Enterprise and Industry and the D~~an inter-service unit linking the relevant directorate-Gs-general ~~for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities~~;

Amendment 78 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14

14. Calls on the Commission to ensure that the features of the social economy (aims, values and working methods) are taken into account when devising European policies~~, by ensuring there is~~; asks that, when the social economy is affected, impact assessments are carried out and the interests of the social economy are respected and given priority; calls for better coordination between policies and the directorates- general in charge of those policies, particularly the Directorate- General for Enterprise and Industry and the Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities;

Amendment 79 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)

14a. Asks the Commission to ensure that the Observatory of European SMEs systematically includes social economy enterprises in its surveys and to make recommendations for measures to assist their functioning and development;

Amendment 8 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)

Aa. whereas social economy values are highly consistent with the common objectives for social inclusion agreed at EU level, which include not only tackling poverty but also improving access to resources and the enjoyment of rights and services needed for participation in society,

Amendment 80 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. Calls on the Commission to invite ~~the representatives of~~participants in the social economy ~~sector to set up~~to join permanent bodies for dialogue and to participate in ~~the~~, and work oftogether with, high-level expert groups likely to be of concerned with issues relating to the social economy, and calls on the Commission to participate in strengthening the structures for representation of the social economy at regional, national and European level and to create a legal framework designed to promote active partnership between local authorities and social economy enterprises;

Amendment 81 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)

15a. Calls on the Commission to take the necessary measures to enable social economy enterprises to be linked together and promoted by the European e-business support network;

Amendment 82 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Calls for programmes to be set up that will encourage experimentation with new economic and social models, to initiate framework research programmes, by including bysocial economy subjects in call~~ing~~s for proposals under the Seventh Framework Programme, to envisage the use of a ‘multiplier’ applied to the official statistics and to introduce instruments for measuring economic growth from a qualitative and quantitative point of view;

Amendment 83 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Calls on the Commission and Member States to include a ‘social economy’ dimension in the establishment of Community and national policies and in European programmes for enterprises in the fields of research, innovation, finance, regional development and development cooperation, and to support the establishment of social economy training programmes for European, national and local administrators and to ensure the access of social economy enterprises to programmes and actions for development and external relations;

Amendment 84 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)

18a. Calls on the Commission to devise a European legal framework enabling territorial partnerships to be established and maintained between the social economy sector and local authorities, and to lay down criteria for the purposes of recognising and enhancing the social economy, fostering sustainable local development, and promoting the general interest;

Amendment 85 #

Françoise CASTEX

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)

18a. Calls on the Commission to aim for conditions which will facilitate investments in the social economy, in particular through investment funds, the grating of guaranteed loans and in the form of subsidies;

Amendment 86 #

Anne FERREIRA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)

Amendment 9 #