SAM.I. pools resources on social economy

The European welfare systems are under increasing pressure from global and European competition.

On November 4, several representatives of European Samaritan organisations will meet in Copenhagen to work out a common position on the issue of social economy that is currently being debated on the EU level. This position will be contributed at a conference hosted by SOLIDAR on December 16 in Vienna.

On January 14 of this year SOLIDAR members, among them representatives of SAMARITAN INTERNATIONAL, met to define their interests in the area of social economy framework conditions and to bring them to the attention of the EU institutions. The European welfare systems are under increasing pressure from global and European competition as well as demographic and structural change. In a joint memorandum challenges and obstacles were formulated, positions declared and next steps for cooperation named.

Among the issues the SAM.I. members criticise is that the influence of civil society organisations on economic growth and development is not sufficiently considered in the appropriation of public funds and the decisions on project grants. They demant that their not-for-profit services of general interest should be specially recognised and protected legislatively and financally. The agenda for Copenhagen includes among other items the issue of public procurement, which are ever again subject to changes by the EU. Just recently ASB and other SAM.I. members advocated against the inclusion of rescue services in European public procurement rules.

The problem with specialised rules for social services of general interest in Europe starts with the very definition. In the member states there are different legislative situations on the work of welfare organisationt. For instance, Germany has a special status for organisations of general public welfare. The EU however tends to apply the market principle, even in case of social services. Its definition of social enterprise considers the difference to a for-profit enterprise to be mainly the re-investment of profits toward the social purpose and otherwise references the situation in the member states. Even within some member states market orientation in social areas is being advanced. It is therefore a cause and priority of associations active in social services of general interest, that this development does not sacrifice quality and sustainability of these services for an obligation towards the lowest bidder.

In Copenhagen the SAM.I. members will try to find a common position based on their respective member state’s perspectives. This result will then be brought into the debate with other social enterprises from all over Europe at the SOLIDAR follow-up conference in Vienna.