Giuseppe Guerini and Jeroen Douglas Highlight Cooperative Blueprint for a Resilient Economy at the European Parliament
At the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) event “Cooperatives building a better world: the contribution of the EESC to the International Year of Cooperatives,” Jeroen Douglas, Director-General of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), delivered a call for systemic economic transformation.
His intervention, framed by the EESC’s adoption of the opinion CCMI/242 on Industrial Cooperatives, of which Giuseppe Guerini, President Cooperatives Europe, is the co-rapporteur, positioned cooperatives not as a complementary model but as a building block for a resilient, future-proof economy.
Mr Douglas began by underscoring the urgency for a shift in economic systems, emphasising that the current moment, defined by climate instability, geopolitical fragmentation, and widening inequalities, demands more than incremental reform. Cooperatives offer precisely the kind of structural alternative needed, he said, as they are democratic, community-rooted, and capable of long-term value creation. He described cooperatives as a “blueprint for action” and presented the ICA’s strategic framework built around 15 action points for a global economy grounded in sustainability and inclusion.
A central theme of his intervention was the cooperative movement’s capacity to address interlinked global crises, particularly in the areas of climate, energy, and food systems. Mr Douglas highlighted the growing importance of democratic energy solutions and community-owned renewable models, actors capable not only of accelerating the green transition but ensuring the benefits remain locally anchored. He also stressed the rising relevance of health and social care cooperatives, pointing to their proven ability to safeguard access, quality, and affordability in increasingly strained care systems. Financial inclusion featured prominently in Douglas’s remarks. He noted that cooperative banks and credit unions remain critical for expanding access to finance, especially for underserved populations and SMEs. Importantly, he argued that cooperatives do not seek subsidies, but rather demand a level playing field in recognition of their unique governance structures and contributions to the public good.
He called for stronger policy recognition at EU level, urging lawmakers to reflect the distinct nature of cooperatives in company law and regulatory frameworks. Access to funding was another key priority: he encouraged the EU to ensure that cooperatives can fully benefit from green and just transition instruments and other relevant financing mechanisms.
Expanding the conversation beyond Europe, Mr Douglas drew attention to the role cooperatives can play in developing countries. He identified the EU’s Global Gateway as a strategic opportunity to harness cooperatives in building resilient local economies, particularly in regions where economic democracy is still emerging. To make this possible, he advocated for a structured and permanent dialogue between EU institutions and Cooperatives Europe, calling it a “reliable partner” in designing and implementing cooperative-inclusive policies.
His intervention ultimately served as a reminder that cooperatives are not peripheral actors but integral components of a sustainable economic architecture. His message resonated widely within the event’s broader narrative: that competitiveness and social responsibility are not opposing goals, but mutually reinforcing pillars and that cooperatives are uniquely equipped to bring them together.
On behalf of the International Cooperative Alliance Jeroen Douglas advocated for three calls to action.
1. Policy Recognition: Urging the European Union to fully recognise the unique nature of the cooperative enterprise model within its company law and regulatory frameworks. EU must go beyond viewing cooperatives as simple SMEs and recognise their capacity as democratically governed, large-scale economic actors.
2. Access to Funds: Ensuring cooperatives, especially those focused on the Green and Just Transition, have fair and direct access to relevant EU funding mechanisms. They are the ideal vehicles for ensuring EU investment has maximum local impact. A Fair Access also to the Global Gateway funding, with a dedicated fund to invest in coops in developing countries.
3. Strategic Partnership: Deepening the structural dialogue between the ICA and its regional office, Cooperatives Europe,and ICA Sectors, with the International Labour Organization, and EU institutions.
He concluded by stating that ICA were ready to be the most reliable partner in realizing the ambitions of the Green Deal, the Social Pillar, and a resilient, competitive European economy.
Other speakers on the panel included representatives of the ILO, OECD and DG GROW.
In her intervention, Ms Carlien van Empel, Director of the ILO Office for the EU and Benelux, emphasised that the EESC opinion CCMI/242 accurately reflects the essence of industrial cooperatives and their role in today’s economy. She highlighted that cooperatives contribute far beyond the production of goods and services: they build inclusive supply chains, offer quality employment, and reinforce both resilience and democratic governance. Ms van Empel stressed that cooperatives should not be seen as an “alternative” model but as a distinct economic approach rooted in mutualism, solidarity, and cooperation. Across manufacturing, digital production and processing industries, cooperatives demonstrate remarkable capacity to maintain employment and stability even in difficult economic conditions. Positioned within the broader social and solidarity economy, they ensure that value is reinvested locally, strengthening communities. She argued that industrial cooperatives are central to achieving inclusive and sustainable competitiveness, an area where Europe can lead due to its strong traditions in rights-based economic development and fair distribution of value. Van Empel reaffirmed the ILO’s strategic partnership with the ICA and pointed to key international labour standards, notably Recommendation 193, which calls for enabling environments, capacity building and access to finance.
In his remarks, Dr Joachim Schwerin, Principal Economist, Responsible Business Conduct Unit within the Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW) of the European Commission underscored that the discussion on cooperatives extends far beyond the International Year of Cooperatives, noting that the EESC’s opinion offers an excellent and forward-looking assessment. He emphasised that cooperative principles are rooted in what he called the “DNA of humanity” values that have shaped societies throughout history. For Schwerin, the significance of cooperatives lies not only in what they do, but in how they operate: through democratic participation, bottom-up governance and inclusive decision-making. These practices, he argued, exemplify democracy in action, which cannot be achieved through formal instructions alone but must be lived through conduct and shared values. Schwerin highlighted the relevance of cooperatives across industrial and financial sectors, noting their longstanding intellectual and practical tradition in Europe. He linked cooperative thinking to contemporary challenges, particularly the digitalisation of the economy. Interestingly, he observed parallels between cooperative principles and mechanisms emerging in the crypto-asset market, such as decentralised value transfer and on-chain voting, while warning against distortions introduced by large technology corporations. Education, he stressed, is essential for strengthening cooperative culture, calling for large-scale initiatives that include social organisations and cooperatives. Schwerin concluded by urging a renewed effort to strengthen the public image of cooperatives and promote them as sustainable, resilient business models for Europe’s future.
Mr. Séamus Boland, President of the EESC concluded the debate by stating that cooperatives prove that competitiveness and social responsibility are not opposing goals!
The ICA thanks Mr. Giuseppe Guerini for taking forward the cooperative agenda at the EESC and congratulates him on the result of the adoption of the opinion CCMI/242 Industrial Cooperatives: a tool for the challenge of inclusive and sustainable competitiveness: https://www.eesc.europa.eu/en/our-work/opinions-information-reports/opinions/industrial-cooperatives-tool-challenge-inclusive-and-sustainable-competitiveness
