Legacoop in Brussels: “Cooperatives are the engines of competitiveness; they should not be penalized”

Brussels – For Europe, grappling with declining industrial performance, fragmented international trade, and escalating geopolitical tensions, competitiveness, one of the central themes of today’s (March 20) European Council summit, has become the central goal. Simone Gamberini, president of Legacoop, the association that brings together more than 10 thousand cooperative enterprises active throughout Italy and the entire production chain, knows this well. He addressed representatives of the European institutions last night at the Cooperatives, a driving force for competitiveness and social cohesion in Europe” event. The conference aimed to explore critical issues related to competitiveness, innovation, and sustainability, as well as the central role of cooperatives in the future of the industrial and agribusiness sector in Europe.

“We account for almost 10 percent of European GDP. We are one of the engines of the EU’s competitiveness growth. We think we have a lot to say,” Gamberini explained on the sidelines of the event, speaking of a “very particular” phase for the continent in which “not only the structure of the Union is under discussion, but also the set of its policies that must assist in recovering competitiveness and productivity.”  He added that the “world of cooperation and the social economy” must be central as the engine “of European competitiveness.” Gamberini also stressed, “The need to share common defense spending cannot mean giving up our economic and productive model, maintaining our welfare model and social innovation, strengthening social protections as an element of security and stability.”

The Emilia Romagna representation to the EU hosted the forum.  Regional president Michele De Pascale noted that in the region, cooperation “has an even greater value, if possible, than for the rest of the country, because there is a deep-rooted historical presence, a powerful cooperative spirit.” The conference – which opened with institutional messages from the vice president of the EU Commission, Raffaele Fitto, and the vice president of the European Parliament, Pina Picierno – is an opportunity to defend “the basic values of freedom and social solidarity that inspire the European Union at a time when Europe faces complex challenges, from geopolitical tensions to the threats from the United States, to the need for greater strategic autonomy, the role of cooperative enterprises becomes even more central; For this reason, it is more important than ever today to implement a European strategy that enhances them, ensuring the right tools to compete on a global scale, easy access to funding, and a regulatory framework that recognizes their specificity,” the president concluded.

Raffaele Fitto warmly welcomed the initiative and, speaking of a “change of pace,” emphasized the measures the new European Commission is pursuing in the competitiveness that affect cooperatives, such as the Affordable Energy Action Plan and the Vision of Agriculture and Food. He also spoke of the importance of flexibility in the Commission’s policies, “Current cohesion programs need to be coordinated, adjusted to today’s stringent problems to provide appropriate solutions.”