Social Economy in Europe - Contributing to competitiveness and prosperity

This report comes at a time when European societies are facing major social, economic and territorial challenges, including demographic ageing, labour shortages, housing crises and growing inequalities. In this context, the social economy is increasingly recognised as a strategic lever for building more inclusive, resilient and sustainable development models. By combining economic activity with social purpose, democratic governance and reinvestment of profits, social economy actors offer concrete solutions to pressing public policy issues. 

This OECD-European Commission report provides a comprehensive and structured analysis of the sector’s role in Europe, illustrating both its practical impact on key sectors such as care and housing, and the policy frameworks needed to support its development. It is a key resource for understanding how the social economy can contribute to long-term competitiveness, social cohesion and inclusive growth across the European Union.

Part I – The contribution of the social economy to care and housing

1. The social economy in care with a focus on ageing

• Care as a fundamental need
• How social economy contributes to long-term care
• Innovative solutions by the social economy to deliver quality and affordable care
• Policy options
• Main take-aways on the contribution of the social economy to care services

2. The social economy in housing

• The social, economic and environmental dimensions of housing
• Housing challenges
• How the social economy addresses housing issues
• Policy options
• Main take-aways on the contribution of the social economy to housing

Part II – Strengthening framework conditions for the social economy

3. Institutional arrangements across levels of government

• Introduction
• What are the main institutional arrangements for the social economy at national level?
• What are the roles of subnational authorities in supporting the social economy?
• What are the competences of municipalities to foster social economy in places?
• What are the mechanisms to facilitate co-operation to co-create social economy policy?
• Complexities in institutional arrangements for the social economy
• Policy options

4. Business support initiatives for the social economy

• Why does business support matter?
• Main trends in business support for the social economy
• Main challenges of business support schemes for the social economy
• Options for policymakers and the private sector to strengthen business support for the social economy

5. Taxation to support the social economy

• Introduction
• What are the available tax measures for the social economy?
• What are the challenges of taxation for the social economy?
• What can policymakers do to leverage taxation for the social economy?