Changing context: The crisis affected all enterprises; nevertheless, we can speak about a cooperative resilience ILO stu

1. Cooperatives working together at EU level: Cooperatives Europe Slovenia Coop2012Cooperatives – A Vector of Change in EuropeMarc NoelCooperative Development Manager

2. Changing context: The crisis affected all enterprises; nevertheless, we can speak about a cooperative resilience • ILO study • Reports from EU sector organisations Cooperatives sticking closely to the principles have had the best results in facing the economic challenges

3. We are stuck: Opportunity for cooperatives?

4. Advantages: • People-centred business model • Capacity to react and to anticipate • Sustainable and qualitative development via optimisation and not only short-term profit maximisation Linked to the society Locallyanchored Long-term vision

5. Obstacles at European level: •  Absence of knowledge about the cooperative model •  Policies neglect cooperative specificities • Prevailing model of reference: shareholder company • A key factor: European institutions as catalyst

6. Conditions for a successful cooperative development • Being recognised as an important economic actor • Combine successfully economic and social reasoning • Develop a cooperative identity and approach Obtain for cooperatives « levelplayingfield »

7. Since 2006 Cooperatives Europe has been the European cross-sector representative organisation for cooperative enterprises recognized by the EU Institution

8. THE European representative organisation of co-operative enterprises The Europe region of the International Co-operative Alliance 90 member organisations and enterprises from 33 European countries, including 6 European sector organisations The voice of 123 millions member co-operators owning 160,000 co-operative enterprises and giving jobs to 5.4 million European citizens 8

9. Jobs in co-operatives, members of Cooperatives Europe

10. Number of Co-operative members /Inhabitants represented through Cooperatives Europe

11. Répartition par secteur.

12. Governance architecture General Assembly 90 members Board/ Exec. Com. Secretariat EUCC (Promote Coop business model) Int. DeV. WG Energy WG Ad Hoc WGs* New WGs

13. Non-member co-op organisations 90 Member organisations International Cooperative Alliance • EU Institutions • Commission • Parliament • EESC Largerpublic • Partners • Ueapme • Euricse • SEE • Concord • … Media

14. Services that we provide to our members: Advocacy Communication Programming Currently focusing on 5 domains: Promotion of the cooperative business model European cooperative development Energy & Environment Social Dimension – CSR 2012 – International Year of Co-operatives

15. Visibility • Increase the awareness on cooperatives • Promote the benefits of cooperatives • Sensitize public authorities Nov. 14-18 2011 Lancement de l’année internationale à Cancun 30 Oct. – 3 Nov. 2012 Clôture à Manchester

16. Cooperation among cooperatives • Exchange Best practices • Consolidate the coordination at regional, national and European level • Build on political alliances to create a European-wide awareness on the Cooperative Business Model

17. Reinforce the cooperativeidentity • Providetools for sharedstrategies • Communicate • Consolidate the coordination • Enhanceinstitutional contacts (Gouvernment, Commission… ) • Buildpartnerships • Valorise inter-cooperation • Be flexible Promote a bottom-up approach 17

18. Actions at European level • Support structures for cooperatives • Evaluation of policies and programmingaffectingcooperatives • Participation in consultation and programmingprocesses • European actions need to befollowedat national level Establish a cooperative reflex 18

19. Marc Noel Cooperative Development Manager Cooperatives Europe c/o Cooperative House Europe avenue Milcamps 105 B-1030 – Brussels m.noel@coopseurope.coop