site.btaBill Will Regulate Social, Solidarity Economy

Sofia, April 16 (BTA) - The Labour Ministry has drafted a bill that will regulate enterprises operating in the social and solidarity economy. The bill will be put up for public discussion in the following days, said Labour Minister Bisser Petkov at an international conference on the social economy and an economically sustainable and socially inclusive EU.

After the adoption of a concept for the development of the social economy in 2012 Bulgaria has been implementing a third two-year social economy action plan.

In a video address the EU Commissioner for the Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs Elzbieta Bienkowska said that social economy is important for the labour market as 10 per cent of EU businesses operate in the social economy. The EU Commissioner said that in 2017 the European Commission undertook steps to encourage startups and growing companies, provide easier access to jobs and improve the social aspects of the social economy.

Hassan Ademov, chair of the parliamentary social committee, cited data which suggest that there are 2 million social enterprises in the EU which employ 6 per cent of EU's workforce. According to Ademov this is proof that the social economy has its own place not just within the real economy but within the civil society as well.

Juan Antonio Pedreno, President of Social Economy Europe, said that social economy generates 8 per cent of Europe's GDP, provides 8 million jobs and has over 32 million members organized in various associations and cooperatives.