Welcome to the EU Social Economy Gateway
Find information for and about the social economy in Europe.
Learn more about:
- the concept of social economy
- the social economy action plan
- relevant EU funding programmes
- social economy ecosystems in the EU Member States
A resources section and stakeholder content in the "on the ground" section provide further guidance and information.
What's new?
- Upcoming Youth Entrepreneurship Policy Academy online workshops about social entrepreneurship - April 23, 25, and 26, register here!
- Call for applications for the selection of members of the expert group Social Economy and Social Enterprises added
- Call for Financial Support for Social Economy SMEs from GRAINS project added
- Social innovation call for proposals: actions to develop impact performance intelligence services for the social impact investing market actors (ESF-2024-SOC-IMP) added
- Public consultation for the interim evaluation of the Single Market Programme 2021-2027 added
- New topic in focus: Zero-long term unemployment
- New events added for 2024
- Liège Roadmap for Social Economy in the European Union added
- Supply and Demand call added
- New ongoing consultations added
- Call for Expression of Interest to join the drafting committee developing a “Code of Conduct for data management and data sharing in the social economy”
Social economy action plan – time horizon: 2030
With more than 60 actions outlined in the social economy action plan, the European Commission is dedicated to implementing an ambitious programme aimed at improving the framework conditions for the social economy.
We hope to count on your support to help us achieve our shared objectives.
A midterm review on the implementation of the action plan is scheduled for 2025.
What is in it for me?
Public officials are key in building thriving social economy ecosystems. If you are new to the topic, the Social Economy Gateway provides key information about the potential of the social economy. Learn more about EU initiatives, find out how the social economy ecosystem looks like in your country and beyond.
If you are already familiar with the social economy, the useful resources section of the portal serves as a valuable tool to stay informed. Stay up to date with the latest reports, events, and videos that provide fresh perspectives and insights.
Are you already working in a social economy organisation? Discover more about EU funding programmes that may be relevant for your organisation. The Social Economy Gateway may also be useful for finding social economy networks and upcoming events.
You might also find it engaging to explore our on the ground section, which showcases stakeholder articles highlighting the work of your fellow peers.
Are you contemplating the idea of launching a social enterprise? Or perhaps you are intrigued by alternative business models that prioritise societal and environmental impact? The Social Economy Gateway is your gateway to explore the diversity and potential of the social economy...
With and for the social economy
The idea of creating a website to compile relevant information for the social economy originated from consultations with various stakeholders during the development of the social economy action plan. The European Commission embraced this idea and integrated the Social Economy Gateway as one of the ten key actions in the plan.
The structure and content of the Gateway were developed in consultation with numerous stakeholders in 2022 and 2023. Moving forward, this project will continue to be implemented in close collaboration with the social economy.
This is just the beginning...
The launch of the Social Economy Gateway on 13 June 2023 is just a starting point. More content will be added over time.
The European Commission is looking forward to continuing the collaboration with social economy stakeholders.
Recently added:
- Our new section "topics in focus" will dive into relevant topics for the social economy. The first two topics added are State aid and skills.
Upcoming content will include:
- More "topics in focus" will be added, such as socially responsible (public) procurement and impact measurement.
- The Gateway will continue to expand its collection of resources, providing a wealth of valuable materials for social economy stakeholders.
- The on the ground section will regularly feature new articles from stakeholders within the social economy.
On the ground
Learn more about the conscious effort of public procurers (SOLIDEO), social economy enterprises (Halage), and intermediary actors (like Les Canaux via the ESS2024 platform) to promote inclusive job opportunities and minimise the carbon footprint at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Learn more about "Y.ES Project – Say yes to the Social Economy" that promotes capacity-building within the scope of Social Economy, and the acquisition of knowledge and skills in entrepreneurship and innovation through its Y.ES Academy.
Learn more about a new awareness Raising Package that includes learning modules about the Social and Solidarity Economy in six languages produced by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the UN Inter-Agency Task Force on the Social and Solidarity Economy (UNTFSSE).