ROUND TABLE 1 “ THE SOCIAL ECONOMY SECTOR AS A DRIVER FOR THE
DEVELOPMENT OF REGIONAL EMPLOYMENT ”-Bratislava, November 30th 2016
Social economy initiatives, being based on cooperation and civic engagement among the
individuals who make up communities, contribute to boosting social, economic and territorial
cohesion and to raising the level of trust throughout the EU, due to their commitment and degree
of local rootedness, making them less vulnerable to relocation. The social economy and social
enterprises play a key role for local and regional authorities who can directly benefit from the
added-value or new ideas, solutions and approaches to unforeseen or unavoidable problems that
they create, whether this comes in the form of generating wealth and social connections or the
production of new goods and services.
The round table will debate how the different players (at local, regional, national and European
level) can contribute in creating favourable conditions for social economy and social enterprises in
their territories.
WORKSHOP 1 “GROWTH AND SUSTAINABILITY OF SOCIAL ENTERPRISES”-
Bratislava, November 30th 2016
Social enterprises employ more people than private firms on average, and have also proved more
resilient to downsizing in the current economic crisis. Their growth and development is thus a
matter of public interest as well as in the interest of the enterprises and their members. However
their growth dynamics have some specific features.
The workshop will present some concrete examples of how to support the growth of social
enterprises and different successful practices, supported by the sector itself or by public policies.
Starting from the need of the sector, for each practice we will analyse the funding mix, the
partnership model and the results in terms of growth, employment and social impact.
WORKSHOP 2 “START-UP OF SOCIAL ENTERPRISES-FACTORS AND TOOLS TO
CREATE SUSTAINABLE SOCIAL ENTERPRISES”-Bratislava, November 30th 2016
Social innovation is now seen by most as a factor of sustainable growth. It attracts more and more
attention notably though the development of fair trade, distance learning, integration of migrants
and so on. The workshop will highlight the best practices among Member states to sustain the
creation of social economy and social enterprises. Participants will be invited to debate with the
speakers in order to identify the main obstacles encountered during the creation process and
propose solutions. What is at stake here is the weight of social economy and social enterprises for
the European economy in the future.
WORKSHOP 3 “THE EXTERNAL DIMENSION OF SOCIAL ECONOMY”-Bratislava,
November 30th 2016
In this Workshop we will address the increasing attention to the participation of Social Economy in
the External Action Policies. In the last decade we have witnessed the birth and development of a
series of initiatives promoting the role of Social Economy actors in addressing the alarming
challenges posed to the international community. Thus, we will try to analyse this through the
experiences, practices and knowledge of the speakers and the public participating. The main idea is
that under this new interest in Social Economy we need to build on previous experiences and pay
attention to threats and opportunities.
ROUND TABLE 2 “SOCIAL ECONOMY AND THE NATIONAL LEGAL
FRAMEWORKS Bratislava, December 1st 2016
This round table will first give an overview of the european context and the different models of the
national legal frameworks. Secondly, two examples of law experiences, France and Slovenia, will
be presented by the two State secretaries. Afterwards, the needs of the social economy enterprises
concerning the legal frameworks will be covered. The round table will then put forward what is
necessary to build a new law in Slovakia. Finally, round table participants will have the
opportunity to react and discuss with the speakers.
WORKSHOP 4 “GROWTH AND SUSTAINABILITY OF SOCIAL ENTERPRISES PART
II.”-Bratislava, December 1st 2016
The revised EU Public Procurement Directives offer several social advantages, which could
represent an important potential for the development of social enterprises. One of the novelties of
the new directive is that it allows the use of reserved contracts to economic operators that work for
the social and professional integration of persons with disabilities and disadvantaged workers
(including social economy enterprises). It also encourages the award of contracts not only on the
basis of the lowest price / cost, but on the basis of a combination of criteria that can include
quality, innovation, social and environmental considerations (the so-called “Best Price-Quality
Ratio”).
During the workshop, experts, policy makers and practitioners will present good practices and
discuss opportunities, barriers and tools to promote the participation of social enterprises in public
markets.
WORKSHOP 5 “THE ROLE OF SOCIAL ECONOMY AS A PARTNER IN POLICY
ECOSYSTEMS”-Bratislava, December 1st 2016
In this Workshop we will address the role of Social Economy actors in Policy Ecosystems and how
this role can be more effectively performed. Thus, we will try to analyse this through the
experiences, practices and knowledge of the speakers and the public participating. The main idea is
to see the need to actually engage in improving the capacity of the Social Economy actor to
become a capable actor within formal and informal partnerships. This will be addressed from a
systemic approach, i.e. considering not only the actors and the environmental conditions per se but
also their interaction and other systemic features.
WORKSHOP 6 “FINANCIAL TOOLS”-Bratislava, December 1st 2016
This workshop will build on the GECES recommendations on Access to Funding of Social
Enterprise. Representatives of the European Commission, Member States, as well as practitioners
from the financing sector will discuss how the GECES recommendations are being and will be
implemented; and what are the remaining challenges to build a productive eco-system to enable
funding of social enterprise and social economy. Workshop participants will be able to interact
with the speakers to debate questions around the most suitable financing instruments for which
situations, the role of capacity building and the complementarities between private and public
funding.
