The minister has made these statements at the end of the meeting she has held with representatives of the Spanish Business Confederation of the Social Economy (CEPES). Session in which she has been accompanied by the Secretary of State for Employment and Social Economy, Joaquín Pérez Rey, and the general director of Autonomous Work, Social Economy and Corporate Social Responsibility, Maravillas Espín.
Díaz stressed that "talking about social economy is talking about 12% of GDP, is talking about 42,000 companies and thousands of jobs," considering that this "third pillar has a life of its own" and, in addition, is an element to value . For this he made it clear that "CEPES will be the natural ally of this ministry."
Social Dialogue in the third sector
For its part, Maravillas Espín, general director of Autonomous Work, Social Economy and Social Responsibility of Companies, announced that in this meeting some agreements have been reached, including "the promotion of the Council for the Promotion of Social Economy, which is going to leave shortly, as a space where the Social Dialogue with the third sector has to be located. "
In addition, and within the "good tuning", it has been agreed "the consolidation of cooperatives as an alternative of collective self-employment, generating quality employment and decent employment."
Finally, Espín stressed, on the administrative level, we must "make visible the work of the cooperative registry, as guarantor of the values and principle that identify our social economy."
European plan in favor of the social economy
On the part of CEPES, its president, Juan Antonio Pedreño, expressed his satisfaction "for the response of this ministry on the social economy", since "it is a sector" that represents almost 2.3 million workers, and we have the challenge that Spain reinforces the social economy "
For this, the president of CEPES put as a reference that "Spain, this 2020, has the presidency of a group of 16 governments that have as a priority to enhance the social economy in Europe and we have a strategic ally: it is the commissioner European Nicolas Schmit, who has been commissioned by the European Commission to implement a European plan in favor of the social economy. "
