Social Economy Europe
SEE
Social Economy Europe (SEE), is the voice of the 2.8 social economy enterprises and organisations in Europe.
ID: 387273031247-73
Lobbying Activity
Response to European Disability Strategy (2010-2020) – evaluation
26 Oct 2018
Social economy enterprises and organisations (cooperatives, mutualities, associations, foundations and other new forms of social enterprises) which represent 10% of the enterprises in Europe and employ 7% of the EU’s work-force are traditionally more committed to the labour integration of people with disabilities (in some countries they employ up to 3 times more workers with disabilities than traditional enterprises). The potential of the sector as a job generator for people with disabilities and to contribute to the provision of accessible products and services is not fully un-locked due to the lack of consistent recognition at political, regulatory, funding and public procurement levels.
Social Economy Europe, the umbrella organisation representing the social economy sector across the EU, believes that the current European Disability Strategy has not lived up to the expectations. The fact that the equal treatment directive nor the European Accessibility Act have yet been adopted is just a token. The Social Pillar offers the right political framework to be more ambitious.
We argue for the renewed European Disability Strategy that will be adopted by the new European Commission specifically looks at and promotes the role that social economy enterprises can play to speed the integration of people with disabilities at all levels of the society and of the economy.
In our last General Assembly in April 2018 SEE decided to create a working group on Social Economy and Disability with the objective to share best practice and promote change in relation to the above. We look forward to collaborating on that front with the EU institutions in general and with the Commission in particular and note with satisfaction that other players (EESC, EIB, ESF, etc.) are already starting to explore the synergies between the social economy and the disability sectors.
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