Social needs, cooperative answers: a new campaign on how cooperatives provide community services 

CICOPA and the International Health Cooperative Organization (IHCO), have launched the campaign Social needs, cooperative answers to show how cooperatives provide adequate solutions to satisfy community needs. A series of videos compiling cooperative experiences are now available. Read more

III Cooperative Summit of the Americas: a cooperative world for all

The event brought together 1,575 cooperative members and representatives from 30 countries across the Americas and Europe. Several workshops highlighted how worker cooperatives can drive economic and social transformation across the continent and the world. Read more

International Diploma of cooperatives and organizations of Social and Solidarity Economy management

The Andalusian School of Social Economy has opened the registrations for the International Diploma of cooperatives and organizations of Social and Solidarity Economy management until January 15, 2015. This is aimed at cooperative managers in Latin America. The program will be developed in Andalusia (Spain) from 2 to 18 February 2015. Read more

CECOP welcomes the new European Commission: it is time to reverse the curve for growth and jobs!

The new European Commission has started its 5 year term. CECOP welcomes the new Commission of the elected President Jean-Claude Juncker and encourages it to reverse the curve of unemployment, increasing poverty and inequality in Europe. Read more

The re-establishment of the social economy intergroup is a fact

The Conference of Presidents of the European Parliament officially confirmed on December 11 the re-establishment of the Social Economy Intergroup. This important decision has been taken thanks to the support of more than 80 MEPs from 6 different political groups. Read more

Redefining the European agenda for the social economy

More than 600 people participated in the conference "Unlocking the potential of the social economy for EU growth", including several representatives of the CECOP network. The event, organised by the Italian Ministry of Labour and Social Policy within the framework of the Italian Presidency of the EU Council, aimed to redefine a European agenda for the social economy. Read more

Cooperatives active in tourism, boosting local wealth and social cohesion 

On the European Tourism Day, CECOP stressed the socio-economic development power of more than 8,000 enterprises (18% of its network) active in tourism-related activities and share the latest news on the European Route of Cooperative Culture. What makes their contribution so special? Read more

Social considerations and quality crucial in public procurement to achieve a sustainable, smart and inclusive Europe

Public procurement represents 20% of the European Union GDP. To analyse the opportunities provided by the new directive to foster social inclusion, CECOP, ENSIE, the Social Platform, Eurodiaconia and REVES hosted the side event ‘Social Economy Enterprises and public procurement: a win-win combination for social inclusion!‘ at the European Platform Against Poverty and Social Exclusion. Read more

23 January 2015: Ways Forward III conference, a New Era for Cooperative Development

On Friday 23 January 2015 Cooperative Business Consultants, a cooperative consortium dedicated to helping democratic enterprises, will host Ways Forward III in Manchester (UK). The aim of this conference is, according to the organisers, to help rebuild and renew the British cooperative movement. They are looking for experienced international cooperators who can take part and share their experience. Read more

New cooperative ruling in response to socio-economic changes

This year a ruling for Andalusian cooperatives stemming from the December 2011 Andalusia Cooperatives Law (in Spain) was approved. According to Manuel Mariscal, CICOPA President the ruling "will remove a number of legal uncertainties: above all those relating to new innovations, and revisions to the cooperative legal framework that have occurred as a response to increasing socio-economic change in recent years". Read more

Worker cooperatives at the very heart of the month dedicated to the social and solidarity economy in France

To mark the month dedicated to the social and solidarity economy in France, the Ministry for Economic Affairs and Finance is hosting an exhibition, called “For people who like Mondays – work in a Scop (worker cooperative in France)”, from mid-November until 9 January 2015. A series of videos on the new SSE legislation have been produced. Read more

Mercosur’s past, present, and future in a developing region
 

Working together with joint responsibility, essential to strengthening sector specific cooperative networks

"In order to strengthen sector specific cooperative networks everyone involved needs to work together", said Christian Miño, president of the National Confederation of Worker Cooperatives in Argentina. Specifically, he was speaking in relation to the signing of an agreement with the Universidad Nacional de Lanús/UNLa, working towards the creation of strong and sustainable cooperative production units in the textile, engineering, construction, food, and communications sectors. Read more

Eight construction cooperatives join up to salvage an abandoned building

Cooperating to restore the national heritage. The Cooperative Construction Network, made up of 8 members of the National Confederation of Worker Cooperatives in Argentina is renovating a building which will become the future headquarters of National Institute of Associativism and Social Economy. Read more

A worker cooperative helping to bring textile manufacturing back to North Carolina, USA

Opportunity Threads is a worker cooperative cut and sew factory in Morganton, North Carolina (USA). Started in late 2008, it's an inspiring example of how democratic ownership in manufacturing can create jobs, empower workers, and even rebuild the value chains that sustain a community economically. Read more

Worker cooperatives, a solution to empower migrant domestic workers in the Middle East?

ILO has produced a study entitled “Cooperating out of isolation: the case of domestic workers in Lebanon, Jordan and Kuwait” looking at current opportunities within national legal frameworks that could allow and promote domestic workers’ economic enterprises and solidarity economy organizations, with cooperatives being an attractive option. A conference on that topic was organised on 14-15 December. Read more