Cicopa Strategy Development en
Cicopa Strategy Development en
Cicopa Strategy Development en
Other international organisations such as the United Nations, and regional,ones like
the European Union, have emphasized the importance of employment and decent work
in their development policies as well. The second target of the first Millenium
Development Goal (MDG) of the United Nations is to achieve full and productive
employment and decent work for all, including women and young people. Social
cohesion and employment are important fields of activities in the European Consensus
on Development2. These activities are financed through geographic and thematic
instruments: in the European programme Investing in People, 8% of the budget is
allocated for social cohesion, employment and decent work.
2 http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/development/general_development_framework/r12544_en.htm
CICOPA - C/O European House of Cooperatives - avenue Milcamps 105 BE-1030 BRUSSELS
TEL. (32/2) 543 10 33 FAX (32/2) 543 10 37 [email protected] 1
Joint ownership and democratic control: The persons who own cooperatives
jointly and control them democratically are the same stakeholders who seek the
satisfaction of fundamental needs and aspirations.
What is a cooperative?
The members of the cooperative have a double identity: on the one hand, they are
joint owners, and, as such, exert joint control and democratic management over their
enterprise; on the other, they belong to one or several fundamental socio-economic
roles (producers, consumers, services users, etc.).
CICOPA - C/O European House of Cooperatives - avenue Milcamps 105 BE-1030 BRUSSELS
TEL. (32/2) 543 10 33 FAX (32/2) 543 10 37 [email protected] 2
B. Cooperative development strategy in economic and
environmental crisis
In the period of economic and environmental crisis, cooperatives are proved to be a
more adequate instrument for development projects.
The development strategy must take into account the specific and unfavourable
context in which the world economy finds itself at present.
Whereas many other economic actors downsize their staff while experiencing economic
difficulties, the cooperative movement privileges a development strategy based on
employment and the social welfare of its members and workers, and of their
families.
Even though cooperatives support the shock of the recession in a more mitigated
fashion than other types of enterprises, they must make a particularly important effort
towards savings, rationalization at all levels, and reinvestment in the production tool.
In addition, as the economic context changes rapidly, it is very important that concrete
measures are taken on time, and information regarding successful experiences of the
cooperative movement have to be shared rapidly. Indeed, the cooperative
development strategy must avail itself of the good practices that exist in its
international entrepreneurial network, as they can ensure the continuity and stability
of individual development initiatives.
CICOPA - C/O European House of Cooperatives - avenue Milcamps 105 BE-1030 BRUSSELS
TEL. (32/2) 543 10 33 FAX (32/2) 543 10 37 [email protected] 3
1. Micro-level
Identify meeting places where the ideas of cooperatives can be discussed, and
where the mobilisation of actors can be initiated
Provide advice, with a group of supporting experts and advisory services that
guarantee the following up of the activities.
2. Meso-level
CICOPA - C/O European House of Cooperatives - avenue Milcamps 105 BE-1030 BRUSSELS
TEL. (32/2) 543 10 33 FAX (32/2) 543 10 37 [email protected] 4
3. National and international level
It is fundamental:
to support the creation and strengthening of national, regional and global chains
of production and distribution in which cooperatives are present partly or
totally and on which they can have partial or total control.
The appointment of specific global committees within CICOPA for specific sectors,
such as: health protection, medical services, culture, environment etc.
CICOPA - C/O European House of Cooperatives - avenue Milcamps 105 BE-1030 BRUSSELS
TEL. (32/2) 543 10 33 FAX (32/2) 543 10 37 [email protected] 5
Annex 1. Cooperative principles
The seven cooperative operational principles are:
1. Voluntary and open membership: cooperatives are not closed interest groups,
but, on the contrary, are open to the society which surrounds them. Of course,
only persons who can use their services can be members: for example, to be an
agricultural producer in order to join an agricultural cooperative, a local consumer
in order to join a consumer cooperative, or a person corresponding to a specific job
profile and having gone through a normal job selection process in a worker
cooperative.
CICOPA - C/O European House of Cooperatives - avenue Milcamps 105 BE-1030 BRUSSELS
TEL. (32/2) 543 10 33 FAX (32/2) 543 10 37 [email protected] 6