Prague, October 24 – 25, 2002

The International Conference on Problems of Propagation of Social Economy was attended by more than 600 participants coming from all member countries of the European Union, from the candidate countries and from several countries of Africa and Asia. The composition of the Conference attendees was very diverse. Most of them came as representatives of the sectors of social economy, in particular from various co-operative associations and federations. Strong was the representation of foundations and non-profit organisations. Representatives of businesses with participation of employees (so-called participative establishments) were also present. It can be said that all parts of the sector of social economy were represented.

Also the academic community had a strong representation because the Conference was attended by representatives of many European universities where problems of social economy are subject of theoretical works, instruction and research. Most of all the representatives of universities associated in the Pan-European network EMES were concerned in which 15 Western European universities are represented. The seminar A1 that took place in during both conference days and focussed its attention first of all upon the question of establishments with social economy in the extended Europe was dedicated to the theoretical basis of social economy.

The opening ceremony of the conference was attended by the head of the government of the Czech Republic Mr. Vladimír Špidla who delivered the prologue in which he replied to the problems of social economy and promised – in the name of the government of the Czech Republic – to support the process of propagation of this form of business. He accented in his speech among others that the Czech government wants to break the barriers affecting perception of social economy and to support propagation of its ideas in all levels of the state administration and self-administration and to promote institutionalisation of social economy by way of changing our legislation. He also said that the government wants to facilitate that persons with health or other social handicaps can assert themselves in the society.

The Czech governmental administration was represented also by the minister of agriculture Mr. Jaroslav Palas and the first secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MPSV) Mr. P. Šimerka.

Only a small, in principle zero interest in the conference was shown by representatives of the lawmaking bodies of both chambers of the Parliament of the Czech Republic. Despite the fact that the deputy and senator clubs of all parliamentary parties were informed about the prepared venue of the conference well in advance only one Deputy of the Parliament of the Czech Republic applied for attendance at the conference. It is a pity because one of the aims of the conference was to make representatives of legislative authorities of all candidate states and especially of the host country well acquainted with the problems of social economy. In fact, the representatives of legislative authorities created one of the target groups of the conference.

The sector of social economy enjoys a considerable support in both many EU countries and the bodies of the European Commission. This has found reflection in the attendance of representatives of governmental administrations not only from the countries of the European Union but also from the candidate states inclusive of the first deputy of the ministry for economic development and commerce of the Russian Federation. As for the representatives of the Community bodies there were officers of the Board of Management „Business“, representatives of the Regional Policy Committee, the Economic and Social committee and of the European Parliament. The introductory word on behalf of the European Union was delivered by its ambassador to the Czech Republic Mr. Ramiro Cibrián who interpreted the message sent to the Conference by Mr. Erkki Likkanen, the commissioner of the European Commission for Business and Information Technologies. In this way he accented the importance attached to the Conference and to these problems in general by the authorities of the Community. It should be noted that his whole presentation accented the important role of cooperatives as one of the pillars of the sector of social economy. He remembered that the EC has been supporting the development of social economy not only in its member countries but also in the candidate states and that this trend will be followed on.

Initially, the conference was prepared for 500 participants but the actual attendance was higher by more than 20 percent. It was attended by approximately 650 persons from 33 countries (from 16 EU countries, 13 Central European and Eastern European countries and 4 countries outside Europe). However, one could see a striking unbalance between the participants from the countries of the European Union on the one hand and from the candidate countries on the other hand. The sector of social economy of the European Union was represented by a higher number. The strongest representation came from the sectors of social economy of Italy, France, Belgium, Spain and Sweden. Regarding the candidate countries it was Poland from where the strongest delegation was present.

The planned programme of the Conference was realized completely and a brisk discussion heated up in the course of all the seven seminars that took place in the course of the two days. The same can be said about the proceeding of the accompanying programme that was organized in the building of the Senate of the Czech Republic for representatives of the Community authorities and representatives of national administrations responsible for social economy in individual countries. The same applies to the meetings of competent ministers that were organized by the minister of labour and social affairs Mr. Zdeněk Škromach.

As a part of the programme of the Conference also a supper was prepared for the participants of the Conference in the auditorium of the Žofín Palace. The celebration evening was opened by the welcome presented by the Deputy Mayor of the capital city of Prague Mr. Otto Kerchner who received the delegation of representatives of the sector of social economy from various European countries on October 25 in the social spaces of the Prague City Hall.

Conclusions of the Conference and individual seminars

General conclusions of the Conference were formulated at its close by the President of the Coordinating Committee of European Cooperative Associations (CCACE) Mr. Étienne Pflimlin, the conclusions of individual seminars were formulated by their rapporteurs.

Regarding the general conclusions of the Conference they do not represent the target of the Conference’s efforts but they are considered the starting point for future activities of the whole sector of social economy.

The Conference referred to such essential questions as continuous development, social coherence, support of employment, social dialogue, expansion of business and instruments for the financing thereof, modernization of social economy. The conference went from the idea that Europe can and must create a model of a global change based on a deep respect of the man, freedom of trade and solidarity between generations as well as from the idea of a generous and enlarged Europe. A number of countries will adjoin this political, economic and social groupment soon and others will follow. We consider this enlargement a chance for both the countries of the East and the West as well as for social economy in both parts of Europe.

Europe is something more than a market. It represents a model of a society that is looking for a balance between competitive ability and solidarity. Cooperatives, mutual insurance companies and foundations are important components of this model. Their achievements are not measured after their weight and performance covering a large area but they are also measured after the principal appraisal of their values and attained proportion in the satisfaction of common interests.

Europe and in particular the Commission have been supporting the spirit of business since a long time actively as a basic element of continuous development as well as the competitive ability and dynamics of the Union. That is why businesses of social economy have their legitimacy, their place and their role both in the East and in the West and it is necessary to facilitate their actual progress in the European structure for which they can and also must provide a big contribution.

In this connection the Conference has formulated the following four principles that are common for all categories of the establishments of social economy:

1. Establishments of social economy have already been inscribed in the given locality. They establish relations with local authorities. They are, most often, who assures economy in agricultural areas including the ones affected by difficulties. All establishments of social economy are the most important actors on the scene of the local and regional development.

2. Establishments of social economy prefer integration. They set as their goal to avert exclusion of persons and, on the contrary, to facilitate integration or protection of their members and employees, including those most disadvantaged, without any form of discrimination. Another goal is the support of solidarity. As they do not exercise the policy of selection (of members, employees) cooperatives succeed in reducing social risks. Besides that these organisations bestow considerable financial means for the education of their members and employees.

3. Intergenerational solidarity is one of the attributes of establishments of social economy. They build up indivisible reserves, organize social protection based on mutuality of risks and sources. Non-profit character and democratic management are common features of these systems. They contribute to the construction of a social Europe by way of their active participation in social and civic dialogue.

4. Functioning of establishments of social economy approaches to the concept of social responsibility and their values and practices are very close to what the Commission wants to promote as the values that are defending the European Union alone, i.e. the values tied to social responsibility and continuous growth: participation of employees and users, solidarity, personal development. Rendering service to citizens within the frame of collective approach is considered priority.

From the viewpoint of future activities of the sector of social economy the Conference identified several areas to which attention will have to be concentrated:

A – Execution of inventory and interchange of the best practices among organisations of social economy from the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the EU countries and contemplation on efficient activities: e.g. by the creation of job opportunities to respond to the needs of persons that were not satisfied by the market or public administration, through education and employment of excluded persons, through the strengthening of innovative capacities and the search for concrete solutions by respecting the principles of autonomy and solidarity.

B – Establishments of social economy must actively contribute to the construction of a competitive and powerful economy, to the creation of social coherence. Vis-ŕ-vis to the effort of large supranational groupments, establishments of social economy must build up alliances and establish cooperation ties between the East and the West in Central and Eastern Europe, in particular in the area of information technology and communication and, at the same time, put together coordinated networks in order to achieve a higher efficiency.

C – Continuous growth in enlarged Europe is also assured by the Community and national policies of support of social economy. As a part of new approach it is recommended to work out the programme of development of social economy in the ten candidate states that could stem from supranational experience of the SCOPE model and that could also assure the opening of the PHARE programme for the sector of social economy.

D – Necessity for financial instruments is arising that are required for the formation and expansion of businesses of social economy in the candidate states. Partners ought to have the opportunity for finding them in the framework of mutual securing funds, cooperative banks and European financial institutions such as the European Development Bank. Community programmes could help in the transfer of competencies and the granting of guarantees for basic capital or for operation funds.

E – It is necessary to see jointly that the documents arise everywhere that will recognize the existence of social economy and that a corresponding legal framework is created in every country that would protect different economic forms, freedom of organisation of cooperative, mutual insurance institutions, associations and foundations that render services. The possibility to present the modernity and contrivance of organisations of social economy was an important feature of the Conference. Thus, it is necessary to convince the Convent – that is engineering the reform of treaties with regard to the process of extension and expectation of citizens – that it should direct both the EU member countries and the candidate states of EU extension to the real acknowledgement of the contribution borne by our organisations to the Community policies.

F – Improvement of national legislation is considered a veritable priority. The prepared future changes of the Community law in the area of competition must prevent all those kinds of discrimination with the definitive validity that are affronted by organisations of social economy as these organisations still are not accepted as an inevitable element of economic freedom in the stage of increasing concentration. Owing to the process of globalisation the development of commercial companies takes place to the detriment of the establishments of social economy and it is necessary to care that the principles of equilibrium are established.

G – It is necessary to seek that social economy is recognized as much as possible by both the governments of European countries and by Community institutions. It is also desirable to ensure, to the extent possible, a wide exchange within the movement of social economy and, naturally, the widest possible involvement of organisations of social economy in the preparation of legislation directives and regulations.

The President of the European Commission Mr. Romano Prodi said that cooperatives „show clearly they are able to make profit, to be innovative and competitive and, at the same time, to pursue social aims and the general character of requirements regarding the living environment“.

At its close the Conference enumerated all coincident points that are common for the movements active in the area of social economy and that represent, at the same time, fundamental requirements for the improvement regarding its recognition. The recognition is substantiated owing to the role, aims and initiatives that correspond to the targets of the Community and that support the realization thereof.

- The extension is a chance for Europe and the movement of social economy.
- By preparing reforms the European Convent must preserve the European economic and social model.
- Recognition of freedom for business in all legal forms.
- Acknowledgement of the role played by services of public interest that are rendered just by organisations of social economy.
- Participation of the movement of social economy in official treaties both on the national and the Community level.
- Support to the initiatives of young adherents of social economy.
- Formation of a development fund for the establishments of social economy in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. This fund could become a component of the supporting programme of Community institutions.
- Adapted access of the candidate countries to structural funds.

The Conference has proved that social economy can contribute to the construction of Europe by providing such values that are professed by the Union.

Besides the venue of two general sessions the work of the Conference took its course in eight seminars devoted to specific subjects that were coordinated by representatives of diverse organisations of the sector of social economy.

Seminar A1
Formation of establishments of social economy in enlarged Europe

Conclusions of the seminar:

The sector of social economy offers new high-quality products, new methods of organisation of production and distribution of goods and/or services, new relations among production factors, it creates new market relations and contributes to new legal forms of business. Business in the area of social economy represents a dynamic answer to the depressions of the market and the state that arose in the course of the 19th century. It is also an answer to the process of economic globalisation, it enables democratic participation and management, transparency of information, plurality of opinions and values and a strong social responsibility towards the society and the environment.

In the course of the work of the seminar several common features of organisations of the sector of social economy in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe were identified. First, hostile environment for the progress of organisations of social economy and, somewhere, a gradual development of cooperatives towards a better understanding and acceptance from the part of public administration authorities. Second, as far as cooperatives are concerned, it seems that the method, that was used for the realization of the privatisation process, discredited their image what resulted in such situation that people ceased to take active part in the work of the movement. Third, bodies of national governments moved over from their humanitarian and democratising goals to the search for „more durable“ aims and economic activities that can help them in improving the living conditions in their countries.

The seminar cleared up the necessity of reintegration and support to social aims as priorities in the framework of every business area and the public sector; for instance, cooperatives have not been included so far into the strategic documents related to the national development in some countries.

Seminar A2
Progress of cooperative and participative business and social partnership East-West. Model SCOPE.

Conclusions of the seminar:

The project SCOPE that was taken in the programme PHARE – Programme of Business Support – was a project that has set the target consisting in the creation and strengthening of cooperative production organisations, social cooperatives and establishments with participation in 10 candidate countries of Central and Eastern Europe, in the support of the creation of a network among them and the inclusion thereof into national economies as a part of the dynamic process of European integration. The project concentrated its activities into five basic pillars that had to be respected by every engaged organisation if it wanted to assure the viability of its system:

1. Representativeness.
2. Support of services for business.
3. Development of human resources.
4. Internal monitoring and self-assessment.
5. Creation of complexes of knowledge and their further use.

Overall results of the project implementation can be summarized in the following points:

First: A new cooperative legislation was brought into life in the three Baltic states, in other countries new legislation motions were presented.

Second: Formal contacts to parliaments, governments, ministries of labour and local administration bodies were established in all candidate states.

Third: The project enabled the transfer of experience published in several worked out studies on the best policies.

Fourth: Considerable work was exerted in the area of contacts with the European Commission of which many documents were translated and disseminated. It has to be noted that the project partners from the countries of Central and Eastern Europe participated broadly in the process of consultations and modifications of these documents.

Fifth: Partnerships arisen on the level East-West and East-West were integrated into everyday life to such extent that as good as everyday contacts between partner organisations took place, viz. with the employment of information technologies.

One of the results of the project is the fact that the project laid steady foundations for the future project SCOPE 2 that was approved by the European Commission in these days. It should take its course in the years 2003 – 2004, thus it will come to its end in the time when 8 of the 10 candidate states already ought to be members of the European Union.

Seminar A3
Development of financing tools of social economy in the candidate countries

Conclusions of the seminar:

In the course of the seminar work the following operating procedures were presented that have to be implemented in the next period of time.

- Proceed to the elaboration of the best policies in the EU countries and in countries of Central and Eastern Europe that could serve as an example for the candidate countries. As well, a detailed study about tax and legislation aspects of various financial institutions is to be worked out.
- Pressure should be exerted with the aim that also cooperative banks, credit unions and micro-financing institutions are included in legislation on banks of the candidate countries.
- A working group is to be formed in which also deputies of the European Commission will be represented and that would see into the possibility of the development of financial instruments of businesses of social economy on the basis of those instruments that already exist.
- A joint (mutual) instrument is to be created for the financing of establishments of social economy in countries of Central and Eastern Europe. This instrument associating both existing or subsequently established businesses could take the form of a development fund that – depending upon individual cases, needs and local legislation – would be used for the intervention in the form of guarantees offered for operating funds or basic capital.

Seminar A5
Social coherence, social integration and creation of jobs

Conclusions of the seminar:

The seminar remembered the three areas in which social economy is operating: protection of persons and property, social coherence and social integration. Further, the seminar specified the areas where the policy of integration can bring an active contribution:
- improvement of the employment rate over the whole population;
- development of new crafts adapted to persons excluded from the traditional employment market;
- by supporting their creative forces individuals will be afforded opportunity for the development of their own capacities.

The seminar accentuated:
- That it is necessary to involve various interested persons with the aim to support employment and to alleviate social and professional integration on local level.
- That social difficulties must be taken into consideration that are affronted by excluded persons.
- That all cases of long-term (permanent) exclusion of persons are to be listed.
- That capabilities (capacities) of persons are to be considered that allow them to try their own hands at integration.
- That collaboration towards „mutualisation“ of sources is developed.

During their work the participants of the seminar identified themselves with the results of the meeting in Lisbon according to which every country must present, after every two years, their national plans comprising these four goals:
- facilitation of access to employment;
- prevention of exclusion risks;
- help to the most vulnerable persons;
- mobilisation of all relevant authorities.

Therefore, it is necessary:

- To recognize social economy and to include the Charter of fundamental rights in the future European Constitution. To mobilize representatives of own countries in order that they take into consideration the importance of the discussion on problems of social policy.
- To look for strong partnerships with trade unions, local associations to succeed in transferring the values of social economy in various running negotiations.
- To remember that those who are taking decisions are governments that are responsible for the social policy. Thus, the role players of social economy must present their experience to governments, in particular in the framework of nationwide activities.

Seminar A6
Social dialogue, mutual and participative social security

Conclusions of the seminar:

In Europe as well as in the rest of the world, social dialogue and the system of social protection are found to be in a crisis that is the result of a complex of economic, demographic and, naturally, also political factors. The depth of this crisis caused mainly by the policy of neo-liberal restriction of public expenditures and dismantling of public services is measured by means of statistics of unemployment, deterioration of conditions or equal access, social exclusion, ….

Adequate legislative framework is necessary for the defining of rules of social dialogue, conditions of agreements and negotiations among partners and this framework is identified by means of clear criteria of representativeness. The framework has also to be created on European level and social economy must find its place in it.

Regarding social protection the social dialogue must have its goal consisting in the satisfaction of common interests. Organisations of social economy, in particular mutual insurance institutions, stand in opposition to the spreading commercialisation of social protection which leads inevitably to individualisation of responses to the existing needs depending upon a higher or lower solvency of the requirements in question. They create the possibility to preserve or to create a solidarity complementary system based on mutual acceptance of risks and creation of sources. These systems may have various legal and organisational forms, country by country. The only common feature of them is their non-profit character and democratic management.

Organisations of social economy and trade unions have the will to come out jointly against governments in order to reach that public budgets devoted to social protection are creating actual political and economic targets. The requirement for a high-grade social protection is indivisible from the protection of public services. Social economy and trade unions must give their answer to the question of the day: What should be social protection in a globalized world and in the economy of finance systems that is trying to cover everything by the coat of the only law, the law of profit?

Seminar A7
Consistent local development and partnership between local/regional administrations and social economy.

Conclusions of the seminar:

The work of this seminar lead in the formation of the so-called Declaration of Prague that has become the official document of the Conference on propagation of social economy.

„DECLARATION OF PRAGUE“

drawn in connection with the 1st conference on social economy held in Central and Eastern Europe on October 24 and 25, 2002, in Prague.

In connection with the propagation of social economy in the „old Europe“ a decisive historical moment has come. This big challenge of democracy involves millions of Europeans who are concerned both as participants and citizens. To get it successful the European Convent has to be built on the same basis (from above downward) as well as the development of all local territories (upward).

The role players of social economy and local and regional authorities whose representatives met in Prague decided to sign the „Declaration of Prague“ that defines their common tasks in the framework of local partnerships and that presents a design of the development strategy on all levels. It is expressing our commitment to reach the improvement and the increase in the living standard of all inhabitants of the European Union and of future member countries.

1. Task of social economy on local level
1.1 Organisations of social economy are basic instruments used by local civil society for the solution of various problems of economic and social nature.
1.2 Being players on the economic scene the organisations of social economy are those who create local values, democracy and employment.
1.3 Being players on economic scene the organisations of social economy play a key role in the process of integration of disadvantaged groups and in the creation and strengthening of the so-called local social capital.
1.4 Social economy is recognized in a number of countries as a key element of social coherence of territories.

2. Role of local and regional authorities
2.1 Elected local and regional deputies, whose primary task is to response to the actual local needs, are considered first information points for citizens.
2.2 Local and regional authorities are central players in the life of the territory concerned from various viewpoints.
2.3 Local and regional authorities operate as catalysts of economic activity and employment. Themselves, they are employers, furnishers of local information and providers of research, providers of services to all people in local community. They are representatives of the community and key players in local development and in regeneration of partnerships.
2.4 Besides that, local and regional authorities of public administration are responsible for the support given to local standards in various areas including health care, culture, employment, education and housing.

3.Contribution of partnership to local development
3.1 Establishments of social economy are important partners of local authorities within the framework of local development strategies and in the creation of a new local pluralistic prosperity. However, this does not avert the application of the principle of „fair play“ from the part of local authorities or businesses of traditional commercial sector on the one hand and social economy on the other hand to compete in the realisation of local development strategies in equitable way. It is foremost social economy what can fill in the space in providing social goods and those services that are not provided by traditional businesses active on the market or by the government.
3.2 Partnership between social economy, the private profit-making sector and the public sector contributes to social coherence, creation of social capital, participation, employment and establishment of businesses on local level.
3.3 Partnership conveys value to the process of local development and social progress by supporting relations based on confidence and belief in society, participation of citizens and society; by supporting higher social coherence it integrates people outside society or at its edge (e.g. immigrants, people unemployed for a long time).
3.4 Partnership can help in transforming the system of passive social security and employee privilege allowances into active social investment in sustainable development.
3.5 Partnership acts by way of mutual respect between partners, downrightness and transparency and is based on a concrete knowledge of local needs and potentials. Besides that the principle of „global thinking and local acting“ is the condition of a harmonic vision of development.

4. Building up stronger partnerships
Partnership between local and regional authorities on the one hand and organisations of social economy from the EU countries and from the candidate states should:

4.1 develop common strategies,
4.2 support propagation, confrontation of different methods and exchange of the best policies in the form of presenting specific directives in new European projects and thus to facilitate the strengthening of the dialogue with the candidate countries,
4.3 consolidate mutual links among various local partnerships on regional, national and international level,
4.4 take actions to help in establishing new partnerships between local authorities and social economy and thus to propagate a model capable to connect the will of those who are governing with the needs of citizens,
4.5 be considered professional centres and should be consulted regarding all EU and national policies having impacts upon the local level,
4.6 employ partnership as a standard element of „management tool“,
4.7 be consulted, in particular through representative institutions, organisations and mutual interconnection in the creation of the new Europe,
4.8 play a clear role in the dissemination of Community laws (aquis communautaires) on the lowest level.

5. European Union and national governmental policies and sources
The European Union – in particular the European Commission – and national governments are asked to recognize and support this effort by implementing the actions of this Declaration through the:

5.1 establishment of a database of the best examples from the practice of social economy and local and regional development;
5.2 creation of educational plans comprising economic and social principles of local partnership and businesses of social economy;
5.3 establishment of an inter-institutional working group that would analyse the methods for the attainment of a higher flexibility in Structural funds and that would pay special attention to the support of territorial local development based on partnership between social economy and local and regional authorities;
5.4 organisation of regular European sessions for the purpose of exchange of the best policies and mutual interconnection;
5.5 direction of a substantial part of EU finances, e.g. the next round of financing EQUAL (2003-2006), to the exchange of know-how about social economy, partnership and local development and to the negotiations about European affairs among local partners of EU and the countries aspiring after accession;
5.6 support for a good visibility of successful local partnerships in the form of an annual award for the best project/partnership of social economy.

This initiative is a continuation of the conclusions adopted by other European conferences on social economy and the recent concept of the Regional Committee on partnership between local and regional authorities and organisations of social economy.

The Regional Committee and the REVES network with its specific features and initial representative role in a large number of territories may act as helpers in further development of this process.

The present Declaration has been accepted by the general session of the Conference on social economy in Prague and has been concluded for the period of five years. It will be monitored regularly for the purpose of evaluation of the progress attained and facilitation of further development both in practical and political domain.

* * *

Conclusions of the meeting of SE ministers held on October 26, 2002, in the framework of the programme of the International Conference on Problems of Propagation of Social Economy

The conclusions of the meeting of ministers were presented by the Luxemburgian minister Mr. François Biltgen within the scope of the ministerial round table organized in the course of the closing session of the Conference on social economy.

The meeting of ministers charged with the questions of social economy from the candidate and the member countries of the EU has drawn the three fundamental conclusions:

1. Social economy is a real phenomenon, however, it is not founded on an exact legislative framework as no legally exact definition of this phenomenon is existing so far. Though this bears evidence of its copiousness and diversity it makes its position more complicated at the same time.
2. The course of the Conference demonstrated unambiguously that there is much what the EU member countries on the one hand and the candidate countries on the other hand can learn from each other. Thus, it is not only the question that the candidate countries should take over the collection of acquis communitaires into their legislations but it is evident that they also can enrich the environment in the EU member countries with their experience significantly.
3. Even though there is no exact legal definition of social economy it is possible to agree upon three statements:
   a) Social economy is not based on capital but upon participative democracy.
   b) The aim of social economy is not profit but mutual solidarity.
   c) Social economy may contribute, to a significant extent, to integration of disadvantaged persons of various categories into the society. *

On the basis of these conclusions and statements the group of attendant ministers has formulated to requirements specified here below:

A) We apply to the government of Greece, the future President of the European Union, as well as to the government of further countries that will take over the role of presidency, to continue the tradition of these conferences on social economy and the meetings of competent ministers that are held in the framework thereof that ought to be held every half year.

If a definition of social economy is to be formulated it is necessary to integrate it into the complex of European policies for which the Community bodies create necessary standards. The role of social economy in the process of integration of disadvantaged persons represents a very important aspect.

B) European Commission must take up a very practical approach to the problems of social economy and look for ideas and subjects consistently for the support of a broad collaboration between the member and the candidate countries and, at the same time, for the support of collaboration consisting in the creation of networks.

C) We apply to the European Parliament and to the Council of Ministers with the requirement to create adequate legal standards that will support and develop formation of networks for cross-border collaboration.

* * *

Czech cooperative sector – one of the fundamental pillars of the sector of social economy – identifies itself both with the general conclusions of the Conference and with the conclusions of individual seminars. In line with them Cooperative Association of the Czech Republic, co-administrator of the Prague Conference on propagation of social economy considers the enforcement of the above cited conclusions of the Conference to be its foreground tasks and, during negotiations of its representatives with deputies of state administration, with representatives of regional administrations and with deputies of political representations of all parliamentary parties, it will require the:
- support for creation of an adequate legislation framework for the whole sector of social economy (institutionalisation of social economy);
- acceptance of social economy as a prospect for the future;
- respecting of representatives of social economy and the invitation of them to the talks on future exploitation of the European Social Fund and of the structural funds of the European Union after 2004.

Prague, November 2002

czech version (česká verze)

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