High-level internal workshop on building the ecosystem for social business in Europe

Brussels 25 & 26 May 2011

Objective:

The objective is to design an adequate policy-making to help develop social entrepreneurship in the European Union and thus materialize the Commission commitment taken under the Single Market Act on 13 April 2011 (lever 8: social entrepreneurship). This internal workshop will bring together EU Commission officials and external experts for discussions on possible EU proposals to build the right ecosystem for social business in Europe and will constitute a first step in the consultation process towards the adoption of Communication on Social Entrepreneurship next autumn 2011.

DG Markt roadmap on Social Business is available under:

Working documentsserving as a basis for the discussions during cluster and plenary sessions are available on the CIRCA website:

PROGRAMME

Wednesday, 25 May:Focus on business cases for EC officials & cluster sessions

9:00-9:30registration & welcome of Commissionparticipants to the workshop (DG MARKT – 2 rue de Spa, 1000Brussels, Belgium).

9:30 - 10:45presentation of business cases 1 & 2(Thierry STOLL room)

- Websourd, by François Goudenove (FR)

- Specialisterne, by ThorkilSonne (DK)

10:45 – 11:00coffee-break (in Thierry STOLL atrium)

11:00– 11:15keynote speech by Internal Market & Services Commissioner Michel BARNIER(Thierry STOLL room) + questions

11:40 - 13:00presentation of business cases 34(Thierry STOLL room)

- Le Chênelet, by François Marty (FR)

- Inspiring Scotland, by Celia Tennant (UK)

13:00-14:00 networking standing lunch (European Commission – DG MARKT – 2 rue de Spa, 1000 Brussels, Belgium in presence of expert participants, EC officials and members of various cabinets of Commissioners).

14:00-15:30 first part of afternoon clusters (DG MARKT – 2 rue de Spa 1000 Brussels)

  • Cluster 1 on Social Innovation & Social Business: can hybrids produce social and financial value? What's the future of responsible leadership/social business? How to measure the impact? Scalability of social business projects? Is there a clear-cut line between social businesses and CSR? When creating standards/labels, should we have a progressive shift from CSR-conscious companies to social businesses, or can we draw a line between the two, which would accommodate for different sets of rules?
  • Cluster 2 on Access to finance: how can social innovation be financed? Discussion between EC officials and experts on which tools can be used and developed? The role of the capital markets? The role of private investors? The role of bank financing? How to create efficient market infrastructures to set an adequate financial ecosystem? Specific focus on the challenges, needs, content, scope and conditions of an EU legal framework on social investment funds. How to duplicate some Member States experience in all MS? Need to harmonize what is already done on a national basis?
  • Cluster 3 on Microfinance: lessons learned from the Microfinance crisis. Microfinance as a funding tool for social businesses, and microfinance as a social business in itself. How to improve the EU regulatory framework for microfinance institutions? The role of credit in promoting growth and employment (objectives & regulation of credit? Strategic issues associated with microfinance as an integrated part of the financial system, regulation and supervision of the microfinance sector)
  • Cluster 4 on the Relevant legal frameworks for social entrepreneurship: What are the difficulties that social businesses specifically encounter in the internal market, due to a blanket application of EU rules? How could EU rules better take into account the specificities of social businesses to make sure they enjoy a level playing field with mainstream companies? What is the role of competition and State-aid rules (article 107 TFEU)? What sort of fiscal advantages could be granted or accepted to offset other disadvantages? How can public procurement rules be adapted to ensure full access to PPs for social enterprises?
  • Cluster 5 on How to grant better visibility to social businessesin B2C and B2B relations? :What could experiences/benefit from the last 10 years experience in environmental and sustainable development awareness, recognition and labelling bring to social business for the next years? How can we make sure that social businesses are not barred from trading, due to exclusive sales agreements or absence of recognition of labels? What should be labelled: entities/companies? Processes? Products/services/outputs/results? Need of harmonizationof domestic label database? Or an EU label for social businesses (based on set of indicators)? Link between environmental and social labels?
  • Cluster 6 on Capacity building and education: what sort of infrastructure is needed to enhance social innovation? The role of intermediaries? The role of media as such? How can social entrepreneurship become a mass phenomenon? How do we support/scale up MBAs, diploma and social business options/curricula in universities and business schools? What sort of formal and informal programmes need to be promoted? Educating young and old generations (encouraging active social ageing)? Workplace education on social innovation?

15:30-16:00 coffee break (Thierry STOLL room)

16:00-17:30 second part of afternoon clusters.

18:00-21:00 networking reception/seated dinner at the invitation of DG Jonathan FAULL for experts and top COM officials (restaurant 29 rue de la Science 1040 Brussels).

Thursday, 26 May: full day debriefing plenary sessions

Each cluster will have a dedicated slot during day 2 to present its conclusions to all the workshop participants and discuss them with all workshop participants through a Q&A session. The presentation shall be made by an EC official (rapporteur) designated in advance.

9:30-10:00 debriefing between rapporteurs to prepare presentations

10:00-10h30 Dialogue in the Dark, by Andreas Heinecke (DE)

10:30-11h30 debriefing of cluster sessions 1, 2 (presentation).

11:30-11:45 coffee break

11:45-13h00 debriefing of cluster sessions 2 (debate) & 3.

13:00-14:30 networking standing lunch

14:30-16:15 debriefing of cluster sessions 4, 5 & 6.

16:15-16:30 coffee break

16:30-17:00 wrap up and conclusions by Jonathan FAULL, DG Internal Market & Services

Cluster sessions and debriefing will be held without interpretation facilities (French or English).

Deliverables: Preparation of a Communication on Social Entrepreneurship Initiative by 4thQuarter 2011. European Conference on Social economy and entrepreneurship on 18November 2011, in Brussels.

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