Theme 4: Financing mechanisms, state aid and public policies
Numerous public policies and regulatory devices support social economy enterprises and organisations to implement their activities; while in turn, social economy asks for more regulation and support.
Financing social economy is for instance essential to help unfolding social economy initiatives and ensure their durability. Numerous social economy organisations operate on a subsidised market where either the undertaking or the employees or the products and services (in part) receive government funding or indirect support.
• Should/can it stay like this?
• What are the moves under way?
• What solutions are developed and what results do they bring: mix of incomes for enterprises, partnerships, cooperation between various economic and institutional actors, micro-credit, complementary currencies/local exchange and trading schemes (LETS), fair trade arrangements;
• etc.?
Questions concerning unfair competition with the regular market or possible 'favouritism' through special clauses in public procurement need to be dealt with. Is regulation of social economy needed in this respect? Understanding problems with (international) rules on market regulation is also essential with a view to a correctly functioning social economy. Because of such issues and economic rules, correct demarcations between the profit sector, the public sector and the so-called third way are required.
Financing social economy is for instance essential to help unfolding social economy initiatives and ensure their durability. Numerous social economy organisations operate on a subsidised market where either the undertaking or the employees or the products and services (in part) receive government funding or indirect support.
• Should/can it stay like this?
• What are the moves under way?
• What solutions are developed and what results do they bring: mix of incomes for enterprises, partnerships, cooperation between various economic and institutional actors, micro-credit, complementary currencies/local exchange and trading schemes (LETS), fair trade arrangements;
• etc.?
Questions concerning unfair competition with the regular market or possible 'favouritism' through special clauses in public procurement need to be dealt with. Is regulation of social economy needed in this respect? Understanding problems with (international) rules on market regulation is also essential with a view to a correctly functioning social economy. Because of such issues and economic rules, correct demarcations between the profit sector, the public sector and the so-called third way are required.
