On 18 March, SPW Economy, via its Social Economy Directorate, took part in the European conference ‘Fostering Europe's prosperity and industrial transformation: Cooperatives as drivers of change’. The event, organised by the European Commission as part of the International Year of Cooperatives, brought together a wide range of committed stakeholders to discuss the key role of cooperatives in Europe's economic and social development.
Major challenges for the co-operative model
The discussions highlighted several key priorities for strengthening the development of co-operatives:
- Greater support from public authorities: Adapting economic policies to better support this business model.
- Greater awareness in education: Integrate the cooperative model into school and university curricula to promote its democratic values.
- A clear European regulatory framework: Ensure recognition and harmonisation of legislation to encourage the growth of cooperatives.
- Facilitated financing mechanisms and access to markets: Improve financial support tools and commercial opportunities to guarantee their sustainability.
An economic model for the future
Cooperatives play a key role in economic and industrial transitions. By combining innovation, resilience and territorial roots, they play an active role in competitiveness and the sustainable transformation of the economy.
The SPW Economy is reaffirming its commitment to the development of Wallonia's cooperatives, providing them with structured support through its dedicated economic policies.