AUGUST 2018

EUROPEAN UNION
Legislators vote to put a label on
the social and solidarity economy
Social and solidarity economy products
could be given their own European label.
On 5 July the European Parliament
approved a motion with recommendations
to the Commission on a statute for
social and solidarity-based enterprises.
The Commission now has a year to
implement the proposals or explain why it
rejects them.
One suggestion in the report is the
establishment of a European label for
products from social and solidarity
enterprises, which include co-operatives.
Sven Giegold, economic and financial
spokesman for the Greens/EFA Group
and co-president of the Social Economy
group in the European Parliament, said:
“A European label for products from social
and solidarity enterprises would be an
enormous boost for new companies with
an orientation to the common good. To
this end, we need a European definition
of what we mean by social and solidarity
enterprises. This would provide the basis
for systematically promoting companies
of general interest, for example in public
procurement.”
The parliament defines a social and
solidarity economy enterprise as an
organisation focused on the general
interest or public utility, which conducts
a socially useful and solidarity-based
activity and reinvests a large part of the
profit made, or uses this to achieve its
social mission. Furthermore, the enterprise
should be governed in accordance with
democratic governance models involving
its employees, customers and stakeholders
affected by its activities.
The report calls for a legal definition
for social and solidarity enterprises.
It highlights the particular challenges
faced by social co-operatives and workintegration
social enterprises (WISEs)
p The Parliament approved the move on 5 July
when carrying out their mission of helping
those most commonly excluded from the
labour market, and stresses the need for
such organisations to be included under
the new label.
The label would be optional, upon
request from social enterprises, and would
be awarded to those which comply with
a set criteria, regardless of the legal form
they decide to adopt in accordance with
national legislation.
SPAIN
Camper van makeovers get a green
twist from Catalonian worker co-op
p Travellers can seize the day in a Camper Diem van
A co-op in Catalonia is designing prototype
interiors for camper vans, tailoring its
services to the specific needs of its clients.
The Camper Diem co-op designs
the interiors, implements the changes
and provides support with repairing, if
necessary. Its customers include families,
couples or freelancers who need to work
while camping.
In October, the co-op will be presenting
a solar-energy powered vehicle at the
Caravanning Exhibition in Barcelona,
and has obtained financial support for the
project from the government.
Founded in 2015, Camper Diem is a
worker co-op set up by a group of workers
using their redundancy payments. It
currently has seven full members and
three workers that have not acquired full
membership yet.
“We wanted everyone to be equal
and we chose the co-op model for this,”
says Albert Boada, one of the founding
members of the co-operative.
The co-op took its name from the Latin
expression ‘carpe diem’ – meaning ‘seize
the day’ – because the team aims for the
freedom gained by living every day to
its fullest. Every month members hold
an assembly where they take decisions
regarding the business.
Mr Boada says the camper van sector
is dominated by players without licences.
18 | AUGUST 2018