Petar Stefanov – Vice-President of Co-operatives Europe meets with Sergei Stanishev

During the meeting, Petar Stefanov presented the key aspects of the Co-operative Manifesto, which was drawn up and disseminated by Co-operatives Europe specifically for the European Parliament elections. Petar Stefanov expressed his confidence that the representatives of PES in the next European Parliament would be interested in supporting and being committed to the creation of a favourable environment for the development of co-operative business and its access to EU funding, especially for cooperative projects.Sergei Stanishev stated that it is important for the centre left in the new European Parliament to be engaged in specific ideas for the development of co-operatives in Europe. In the present ongoing economic crisis, it is of extreme importance and Europe needs now more than ever to put in place a more favourable legal framework for the further development of the 160 000 co-operatives, which provide more than 5.4 million jobs. This represents huge potential for business cooperation in Europe, encouraging continuous dialogue between the co-operatives and the European institutions, so that the priorities underlying the "European Co-operative Roadmap- 2020" are included in the political debate.

Key aspects of the manifesto :

• Harmonization of co-operative legislation and creation of a favourable environment for the development of the co-operative business model, based on democratic management and autonomy, where the person, not the capital, is the focal point of the activities.

• Better visibility of co-operatives as a key partner in the European economy, since the co-operative business model has proven its flexibility and sustainability in times of economic crisis to the benefit of the development of society.

• The inclusion of co-operatives in the regulations for the 2014–2020 Programming Period so as to provide an opportunity for access to EU funding, as has been provided to the other business models.

• The European Parliament and the European Commission have to strengthen their dialogue with Co-operatives Europe, which unites, represents and protects the interests of co-operatives in Europe, for the purpose of recognising their importance in attaining the EU 2020 Strategy for smart, sustainable, and inclusive growth.

• The co-operative business model, based on values and principles, continues to attract more young people, providing them with the opportunities to develop and reach their potential. However, they need educational programmes and financial support for their entrepreneurial initiatives.