Strengthening the Social Economy in Europe
Insights from the SECON Interregional Meeting in Leuven
From 2 to 3 April 2025, the city of Leuven, Belgium, welcomed the 5th SECON Interregional Meeting and Steering Committee, hosted by the Province of Flemish Brabant. This two-day event brought together over 30 participants, including project partners, experts, and key stakeholders, for an intensive programme of knowledge exchange, strategic discussions, and field visits.
Investing in People and Purpose
The meeting opened with a welcome address by Mieke Frans, Policy Officer for Social Economy at the Province of Flemish Brabant, who outlined the region’s strong commitment to fostering social entrepreneurship and supporting individuals distanced from the labour market. With 108 social economy enterprises active in areas such as packaging, green work, food, renovation, and circular activities, the province plays a key role in promoting inclusive and sustainable employment.
Participants also gained valuable insights from keynote speaker Frederik Matthijs (Trividend), who presented an overview of the funding ecosystem for social economy enterprises in Flanders and highlighted innovative financing models and opportunities for scaling impact through place-based investments.
Legal and Fiscal Frameworks for the Social Economy
The second day featured expert insights on regulatory challenges. Mathias Maucher (Social Services Europe) presented the EU State Aid framework, advocating for clearer, more supportive rules tailored to the specificities of social enterprises. Bram Van Baelen (Impact Lawyers) addressed taxation and VAT issues, underlining the need for fairer treatment of impact-driven organisations.
Learning from Practice
A key highlight of the Leuven meeting was the opportunity to explore local social economy initiatives firsthand. Through a series of field visits, participants discovered pioneering organisations that put social economy principles into practice. In Leuven, they visited ViTeS and Wonen en Werken, two enterprises focused on inclusive employment, sustainability, and circular practices. The group also visited De Vlaspit in Scherpenheuvel-Zichem, a social enterprise known for its creative reuse initiatives and strong community engagement. The final visit was to Entiris in Diest, a company specialising in packaging and medical devices that actively employs and empowers people with disabilities.
Steering Committee
The SECON Steering Committee convened to assess the project’s progress and define the next strategic steps. Led by the Region of Peloponnese and supported by KMOP, the discussions focused on enhancing communication, deepening interregional cooperation, and preparing for the upcoming phases of the project.
Looking ahead
The Leuven meeting reaffirmed the pivotal role of strong regional ecosystems, enabling policies, and shared values in advancing the social economy across Europe. The knowledge exchanged, partnerships strengthened, and practices observed during this gathering will serve as a foundation for SECON partners as they continue to promote inclusive growth, territorial cohesion, and sustainable development in their respective regions.
For further details about the SECON Project, you can visit our website:
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