(Madrid, November 13, 2015) .- The Spanish Business Confederation of Social Economy (CEPES) stressed that the Program Development and Promotion of the Social Economy ,recently published by the Government of Spain , will allow Social Economy enterprises are strengthened and continue to be a benchmark for economic growth and job creation in Spain.
This program at the state in whose development has participated CEPES and announced the Deputy Prime Minister, Soraya Saenz de Santamaria, during the celebration of the General Assembly CEPES, identifies seven areas of action which encompass a total of 32 measures very diverse, ranging from enhancing the internationalization of companies, to improve the conditions under which they operate, increase institutional support for the Social Economy at the state and international level.
"Program Development and Promotion of Social Economy helps solve one of the demands of companies in this sector, as it is to have plans and institutional incentives that facilitate visibility, growth and internationalization," said the president of CEPES, Juan Antonio Pedreño.
One of the measures adopted have among their priorities improving competitiveness and opening new markets for the companies in the social economy, especially cooperatives and worker-owned companies. To achieve the internationalization of companies, the program provides different actions like holdingforums, workshops or support programs to social economy enterprises; and encourage innovation to find new business opportunities or increased activity.
European and Mediterranean Agenda
Another application of CEPES collection in the Program is the inclusion of a specific axis for the development of the social economy in the framework of European and Mediterranean agenda. Its purpose is to strengthen the presence in this sector, for which it will implement the Operational Programme of the European Social Fund for Social Inclusion and EconomySocial 2014-2020, with a budget of over 800 million.
Also, Spain is committed to actively participate in European meetings on social economy, in which CEPES actively involved through the Group of Experts of the Commission.
Pedreño said "it is important that the program includes the enhancement of channels of communication and coordination with the governments of the Member States of the European Union to strengthen the Social Economy".
Greater institutional participation in the sector
A constant claim of CEPES is participating in the construction of public policies, and it is therefore essential to be at the tables where these debates are opened. In this regard, the President of CEPES appreciates that "the Plan explicit the need to encourage the active participation of representative bodies of Social Economy in the different institutions, but believes that the program has not been ambitious enough in this respect, since it does not include any measure to incorporate the social dialogue at all socioeconomic actors contributing to generate wealth and employment ".
As a novelty, Pedreño highlights "the launch of a working group of Social Economy under the Sector Conference on Employment and Social Affairs, as it will allow better coordination of the various policies for this business model."
Throughout the program it highlights the social economy is seen as a key element in economic recovery, focusing on strengthening business growth and to stable job creation in general and particularly in the social inclusion of vulnerable groups , based on entrepreneurship andlinking it to local development, so that social and territorial cohesion is strengthened and social innovation is encouraged.
The program is available through the website of the Ministry of Employment and Social Security, through the following link:http://www.empleo.gob.es/es/sec_trabajo/autonomos/economia-soc/noticias/index.htm
