European Commission announces Call for Proposals for Social Economy Missions

Deadline: 9 June 2020

The European Commission has launched the European Social Economy Regions Pilot (ESER) in February 2018 to raise awareness and build networks of social economy stakeholders at regional and local level. Between 2018 and 2020 the ESER initiative has generated more than 100 regional and local partnerships on social economy – without any financial contribution provided by the European Commission.

The “Social economy missions” take into consideration priorities of the European Commission 2019-2024 and accent on strong Social Europe.

The new priorities of the European Commission 2019-2024 indicate shifting towards more sustainable and entrepreneurial economy within the European Green Deal as one of the main goals. Fostering social innovation at local, regional and inter-regional level will be crucial to support green transition and stimulate cohesion and inclusiveness so that “nobody is left behind”. The Social Economy, in all its diversity of forms, carries out in its DNA the potential for the necessary changes.

The aim of the “Social economy missions” is to accelerate the development and acknowledgement of this potential of social economy via inter-regional learning and collaboration. It will contribute significantly to a European Social Economy community building and boost innovation efforts, sustainable growth and creation of high-value jobs. Where appropriate, the project will set the ground for future joint inter-regional projects in the field of social economy. This could pave the way for targeted inter-regional collaboration during the new EU programming period 2021-2027.

Objectives

The general objective of this call for proposals is to follow-up on a successful European Social Economy Regions 2018 (ESER) pilot which established a basis for creation of effective networks of social economy stakeholders at regional level across Europe and to boost inter-regional collaboration in the field of social economy. The project is aiming at engaging a network of regional and local authorities established in the EU and COSME participating countries, and stakeholders with similar social economy priorities and creating space for inter-regional learning and collaboration. An enhanced inter-regional cooperation in the field of social economy will contribute significantly to a gradual building of a social economy community of practice as an integral part of a sustainable European economic model.

The present call for proposals will support consortia in developing inter-regional collaboration through sharing and replicating best practices and inter-regional learning, and create opportunities and incentives for future inter-regional partnerships in the field of priorities of “Social economy missions”.

The specific objectives to be achieved through this call for proposals are the following:

Enhancing interaction and improving collaboration between existing social economy networks and stakeholders at regional and local level in the field of priorities of “Social economy missions”;
Boosting inter-regional learning between social economy stakeholders (public and private sector) in the field of priorities of “Social economy missions”;
Contributing to a gradual building of a Social Economy community

The proposed actions (hereafter “social economy missions”) will bring together regional and local authorities with similar social economy priorities and accompanied by regional and local social economy stakeholders (social enterprises, cooperatives, SMEs, etc.). Networks and umbrella organisations at various levels (European, national, inter-regional, regional, local) active in the field of social economy will be invited to enrich the missions’ exchanges and mutual learning within the established partnerships, including new, innovative approaches.

The “social economy missions” will help to gradually build an ecosystem of players, encouraging the interaction between different partners both at public and private level and thus contributing to development of the European social economy community.

Topics of “Social Economy Missions”

The proposals for this call for proposals must clearly identify one topic which will be addressed in the “social economy mission”, explain why this issue is relevant for all consortium partners and specify the objectives to be achieved by the mission. The proposals can address one of the topics listed below or identify another topic of relevance to the consortium partners around the development of social economy provided that only one topic is addressed and the rationale for that particular topic is explained in the proposal.

Possible topics can be:

Building resilient regional and/or local ecosystems;
Socially responsible public procurement;
Building Clusters of Social and Ecological Innovation or participation in traditional clusters;
Support to social economy business development;
Support to local and regional initiatives in the area of green and digital transition;
Local or regional measures tackling unemployment;
Sustainable agriculture and rural development;
Education and training to develop the social economy ecosystem;
The development of horizontal policies to support social economy at local or regional level;
Social economy initiatives to integrate migrants;
Other (identified by the applicants).

Funding Information

The total budget earmarked for the co-financing of projects is estimated at EUR 1 900 000.
The maximum grant per project will be EUR 100.000. The grant is limited to the maximum reimbursement rates.
EASME expects to fund 19 proposals. The funds will be allocated to the proposals with the best award criteria scores.
EASME reserves the right not to distribute all the funds available.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must be legal entities forming a consortium. The coordinator must be a regional or local public administration (such as municipality, city, region, etc.).

The consortium partners must be:Applicants must be legal entities forming a consortium. The coordinator must be a regional or local public administration (such as municipality, city, region, etc.).

The consortium partners must be:

Regional or local public administration (such as municipality, city, region, etc.).

Natural persons are not eligible.

Linked third parties, i.e. legal entities having a legal or capital link with applicants, which is neither limited to the action nor established for the sole purpose of its implementation, may take part in the action as applicants in order to declare eligible costs.

Only applications from legal entities established in the following countries are eligible: