Last 14 November 2022, in accordance with what has been foreseen by the updated new Industrial Strategy of the European Union, the European Commission launched the “Transition Pathway for Proximity and Social Economy”.

This document, which is supposed to provide concrete guidelines towards green and digital transition (called “the twin transition”) in the proximity and social economy, builds on the outcome of a co-creation process with stakeholders, which was launched in December 2021 with the publication of the Social Economy Action Plan and several Staff Working papers. Stakeholders had the opportunity to raise their voice and discuss the future Pathway in the framework of an online consultation and several workshops.
The process led to the identification of 14 action areas (seven for green transition, seven for digital transition) and 30 concrete actions.

With regard to Green Transition, action areas include elements such as the creation of financial incentives, supportive regulation or certification, labelling and self-regulation which require action in particular by policy-makers/public authorities, but also aspects such as cooperation between enterprises, the development of innovation, greening of infrastructures and operations, capacity-building or the development of local green deals.

With the document, the European Commission aims not only to provide orientation, but also to concretely engage policy-makers at EU, national and local/regional level, social economy organisations and other stakeholders in what is supposed to become a “co-implementation” facilitated by the Commission. In this context it also published a call for pledges.  

More information: https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/sectors/proximity-and-social-economy/proximity-and-social-economy-transition-pathway_en