News

Together with our members ENSIE (European Network of Social Integration Enterprises), Eurodiaconia and CECOP (European Confederation of Workers’ Co-operatives, Social Co-operatives and Social and Participative Enterprises), and with the European Network of Cities and Regions for the Social Economy (REVES), on the occasion of the Convention of the European Platform Against Poverty (EPAP), we are organising a side event entitled ‘Social Economy Enterprises and public procurement:a win-win combination for social inclusion!’. The side event will take place on November 20 in Brussels, from 15:00 to 17:30.

The first session of the event will illustrate how social economy enterprises contribute to fighting against poverty and promoting social inclusion. This will be presented by an EU citizen representing ‘the worker’, a manager of a social economy enterprise and a Member of the European Parliament.

The second session will introduce the main opportunities offered by the new directive on public procurement to foster social inclusion objectives. Paola Zanetti from DG Markt will present the novelties provided by the new directive to achieve social policy goals. We will then focus on three aspects that are very important for public authorities when deciding to use procurement not only to simply purchase goods, works and services, but also to reach other social policy objectives such as the integration in the labour market of persons with disabilities and disadvantaged persons, the promotion of decent working conditions and the promotion and protection of human rights.

The three aspects will cover:

• The use of ‘reserved contracts’ for economic operators (including social economy enterprises) that work for the social and professional integration of persons with disabilities or disadvantaged persons
• The use of the so-called ‘social considerations’ in the procedures at different stages of the procurement process
• How to best design procedures for awarding contracts for social services by the means of quality criteria and other specific principles; how to best use ‘reserved contracts’ for social economy enterprises and non-profit social service providers.

For further information on this event, and in order to improve understanding of the new directive and social economy enterprises, for the next three weeks our weekly ‘Social Compass’ newsletter will devote an article to one of the three aspects mentioned above. If you are interested in participating in our event, you can express your interest by writing an email to info@ensie.org (please indicate your name, surname, organisation, phone no. and email). Deadline for registration is October 31.