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Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs
Press release26 May 2021Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs

European Social Economy Summit: strengthening Europe’s contribution to social inclusion, economic development and the twin transitions

The Commission is co-organising the European Social Economy Summit in partnership with the City of Mannheim and under the patronage of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth in Germany.

The summit takes place in virtual format on 26 and 27 May. It is a unique opportunity to discuss how social economy can help reshape the economy post-COVID-19 and promote inclusive, sustainable economic models for the green and digital transitions by creating jobs, providing accessible services, enabling upskilling, supporting social inclusion, addressing communities’ needs and bringing business solutions to environmental challenges. Three thematic angles in the focus of the Summit are collaboration, innovation and digitalisation. Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič, responsible for Inter-institutional Relations and Foresight and Commissioners Thierry Breton for Internal Market and Nicolas Schmit for Jobs and Social Rights, will speak at the event along with EU Ministers, Members of the European Parliament and other high-level guests.

The summit also brings together more than 3000 participants representing over 300 organisations, including public and private stakeholders, policymakers, civil society representatives and academia. The outcome of the summit will be presented in the Mannheim Declaration, building on discussions on the future of the social economy organised during monthly Digital Road to Mannheim events hosted by the Commission and the city of Mannheim between September 2020 and April 2021 and live polling during the summit. The Mannheim Declaration will feed into the preparation of the European Action Plan on Social Economy, to be adopted by the Commission by end of 2021, and actions under the industrial policy to strengthen the resilience and the twin transitions of the proximity, social economy and civil security industrial ecosystem. Find out more and register for the European Social Economy Summit.

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