Social Entrepreneurship and the Structural Funds Dr. Victoria SOTIRIADOU Director, EU Affairs Directorate Ministry of Finance Greece Groupe d'experts de.

Social Entrepreneurship Social Entrepreneurship and the Structural Fundsand the Structural Funds

Dr. Victoria SOTIRIADOU

Director, EU Affairs DirectorateMinistry of FinanceGreece

Groupe d'experts de la Commission sur l'entrepreneuriat social3rd Meeting – 6 June 2013 - Brussels

GREECGREECEE

The ContextThe Context

• Single Market Act II

• Structural Funds 2014-2020

Single Market Act II four drivers for new growth

4th driver: Strengthening social entrepreneurship. The social economy and social enterprises are key

actors delivering social innovation, inclusiveness and trust. Harnessing confidence in the Single Market and strengthening the social market economy demands highly responsible and innovative companies which can make a positive impact on society and the environment.

Programme for Social Change and Innovation, currently being negotiated by the European Parliament and Council.

Structural Funds 2014 - 2020Structural Funds 2014 - 2020

Objectives:

Deliver the Europe 2020 strategy objectives of smart, sustainable and inclusive growth

Focus on results

Maximise the impact of EU funding

Concentration of ERDF investments

• Energy efficiency & renewable energy

• Research & innovation

• Competitiveness of SMEs

European Social Fund

Fully in line with the Europe 2020 strategy

• Promoting employment & supporting labour mobility

• Promoting social inclusion & combating poverty

• Enhancing institutional capacity & efficient public administration

• Investing in education, skills & life-long learning

Reinforced social dimension• social inclusion• youth unemployment• gender equality & nondiscrimination

Structural Funds Structural Funds and Social Economy and Social Economy

in Greece in Greece

ESF 2007 - 2013(Key Recommendations of the Steering Technical Committee on Social Economy and SocialEntrepreneurship (January, 2013)

The aim of the Strategy and Action Plan:

• to identify priority national and regional pilot actions with social

entrepreneurs and committed stakeholders

• to activate and nurture an enabling ecosystem for the social economy

• to mitigate the negative social effects of the crisis

• to build capacities for social economy development as a pivotal

element of structural economic and social change in Greece.

Published in February 2013 and put into public deliberation until the 15th of March 2013

Based on recommendations by an independent Steering Committee and deliberation with the European Commission

Three main lines of action:

Establishment of a Central and a number of Regional Support Mechanisms, along with a Social Economy Observatory

Direct subsidies towards Social Cooperative Enterprises established under Law 4019/2011 (pre start-up and start-up grants)

Development of financing tools and preparatory actions for the establishment of a micro-credit organization

Organizational StructureOrganizational Structure

Competent Greek Authority: Ministry of Labour & Social Security

General Secretariat for the Management of European Funds

Managing Authority for Social Inclusion & Social Economy

A Social Cooperative Enterprise (SCE) is a civil-law cooperative with a social purpose with a social purpose and limitedliability for its members, possessing entrepreneurial capacity by law.

A SCE is equally managed by its members.

Its purpose is to ensure collective benefits, whereas its profits come only from activities of social interest.

SCEs categories according to specific purpose they serveSCEs categories according to specific purpose they serve:

Integration SCE Integration SCE : integrating vulnerable groups of the population into social & economic life

Collective & Productive SCE Collective & Productive SCE : producing goods & providing services which serve collective needs (culture, environment, ecology, education, use of local products, maintenance of traditional activities & crafts)

Social Care SCE Social Care SCE : producing & providing social welfare goods & services to certain groups of the population such as elderly, infants, children, disabled persons & persons with chronic illnesses

Call for Proposals “on the establishment and operation of a Central Support Mechanism Central Support Mechanism for the development and promotion of Social Cooperative Enterprises and Social Economy initiatives in general”. – Co-funded by the European Social Fund 2007-2013. Budget of

€750.000. Time horizon: 30/9/2015.

– The Central Mechanism will have a scientific, consulting and training role

Establishment of Social Economy General RegisterSocial Economy General Register: a public book kept in electronic form by Min of Labour.

Competition for a Social Economy Logo Social Economy Logo to increase visibility of social goods & Services

Local initiatives for social inclusion of vulnerable groups (TOP-EKO) aiming at the integration or re-integration of unemployed and socially vulnerable groups, through a broad set of actions:local actors mobilisation for job creation and at the same time to provide effective preparation of unemployed beneficiaries to place them to existing job positions, to start up their own business etc.

Startup Greece is an information, networking and collaboration space, aimed at creating a new generation of entrepreneurs in Greece. In its portal it provides thorough information on how to start up a Social Cooperative Enterprise

Social Cooperatives in Employment & Integration of mental health patients KOISPE

• Participation in KOISPE (limits): Mental Health Professionals, max 45%Public Institutions, LA or NGOs, max 20%Users of mental health Services min 35%

• Created under a specific legislation (Law 2716/1999)

• Both therapeutic Units and Commercial Institutions (enterprises)

• Managed by a Council, where all participants represented

• Special structure and management arrangement

-Tri- latteral participation

-All profits re-invested in therapeutic activities, training or new jobs

-Mental Health therapeutic sessions included

-Reward paid to working patients

KOISPE (2)

• Staffed with health, training and administrative personnel SME of 15 to 100 employees

• Operating under a common brand “In business together”

• Considered as protected employment under Presidential Act 60.

• Activities in agricultural sector, handcrafts, services…

-Delicatessen, Honey, Mastic production, bioproducts, plants

-Catering, Café and taverns, Art gifts,

-Cleaning Services, Maintenance, Toy store

-Paper recycling, Environmental Care & Gardening-Graphic Arts, tele-Secretary Services

Challenges for the future Europe 2020…

• Business skills development at the KOISPE management level

• Evolution to a “new role” for the KOISPE -new business activities ( work for hosting ,

equivalent exchange value) -incubator of potential employees for the labor

market - mediator between labor market and the vulnerable

social groups

THANK YOU!