BRUSSELS, December 15, 2025 — Cooperatives should be recognised as core building blocks of a resilient and competitive economy, not a peripheral or complementary model, Jerome according to Jerome Douglas the Director-General of the International Cooperative Alliance [ ICA ].
Addressing an event hosted by the European Economic and Social Committee [EESC] at the European Parliament in Brussels, titled “Cooperatives building a better world: the contribution of the EESC to the International Year of Cooperatives”, Douglas called for a systemic shift in economic thinking amid climate instability, geopolitical fragmentation and widening inequality.
His remarks were framed by the EESC’s adoption of Opinion CCMI/242 on Industrial Cooperatives, co-rapporteur Giuseppe Guerini, President of Cooperatives Europe, positioning cooperatives as democratically governed, community-rooted enterprises capable of long-term value creation.
“Incremental reform is no longer sufficient,” Douglas said, describing cooperatives as a “blueprint for action” and outlining the ICA’s strategic framework of 15 action points aimed at building a global economy grounded in sustainability and inclusion.
He highlighted the role of cooperatives in addressing interconnected crises in climate, energy and food systems, pointing to the growth of community-owned renewable energy and democratic energy solutions as vehicles for accelerating the green transition while keeping benefits local.
Health and social care cooperatives, he added, have demonstrated their capacity to protect access, quality and affordability as public systems come under strain.
Financial inclusion featured prominently, with Douglas noting that cooperative banks and credit unions remain critical to extending finance to underserved communities and small and medium-sized enterprises. He stressed that cooperatives were not seeking subsidies but a level playing field that reflects their distinct governance models and public value.
Douglas issued three calls to action: stronger policy recognition of cooperatives within EU company law and regulation; fair and direct access to EU funding, including green and just transition instruments and Global Gateway financing; and a deeper strategic partnership between EU institutions, the ICA, Cooperatives Europe, ICA sectoral bodies and the International Labour Organisation [ILO].
He said the ICA stood ready to be “a reliable partner” in delivering the EU Green Deal, the European Pillar of Social Rights and a resilient, competitive European economy.
Speakers from the ILO, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development [OECD], and the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs [DG GROW] echoed the message.
Carlien van Empel, Director of the ILO Office for the EU and Benelux, said Opinion CCMI/242 accurately captured the contribution of industrial cooperatives, which she described as a distinct economic approach rooted in mutualism and solidarity rather than an “alternative” model.
She said cooperatives build inclusive supply chains, provide quality employment and maintain stability across manufacturing, digital production and processing industries, even in difficult conditions.
Dr Joachim Schwerin, Principal Economist at DG GROW, said cooperatives reflected “the DNA of humanity” through democratic participation and bottom-up governance.
He linked cooperative principles to contemporary challenges such as digitalisation, noting parallels with decentralised decision-making in emerging technologies, while warning of distortions created by dominant technology firms. Education and public awareness, he said, were essential to strengthening cooperative culture.
Closing the debate, Séamus Boland, President of the EESC, said the discussion demonstrated a central conclusion of the opinion: “Cooperatives prove that competitiveness and social responsibility are not opposing goals, but mutually reinforcing.”
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