Following the Social Business Initiative launched by the Directorate-General Internal Market and Services, the European Commission would like to set up a working group to further discuss the implementation of this policy initiative which aims at promoting social entrepreneurship in Europe.

Social enterprises, with their strong social, societal, environ¬mental objectives, seek to serve the community’s interest rather than profit maximisation. Many of them are also active in the youth field. They often have an inno¬vative nature, through the goods or services they offer and through the organi¬sation or pro¬duc¬tion methods they resort to. They often employ society’s most fragile members thus contributing to social cohesion, employment and the reduction of inequalities.

The Commission aims at contributing to the creation of a favourable environment for the development of social business in Europe, and of the social economy at large. It launched a call for applications with a view to setting up a group of experts on social entrepreneurship as announced in the Commission’s Social Business Initiative. The main task of the expert group will be to follow up the implementation of the initiative.

Applications should be submitted by 9 April 2012.

More information:

• Call for applications
• Social Business Initiative
• Social business on Europa