SERUS - Identity and services
In the future, the European Union will bear the stamp of a new co-operation across borders – municipalities, private enterprises, associations and cooperatives in symbiosis. The society of the people’s movement is the “oldest” section of society but it was not until 1989 that the definition of „Social Economy“ became an official term in the EU. Eight years later the Commission declared that Social Economy is important and necessary for employment and growth.
Often Social Economy is defined as the ”Third sector” alongside the Public and Private sector. Social Economy comprises for example co-operatives and associations, as well as private enterprises participating in operations where profit making is not the main driving force. The definition of Social Economy is vague, and it is just that what is characterising the sector. Social Economy exists everywhere, where people are coming together and take initiative for to improve society.
It is important that the public sector recreates faith in the people’s capacity to take initiative and for the private sector to realise the importance of social capital for growth. For this to become reality, there is a need for closer co-operation and acceptance between the three sectors in order to complement one another on more and more competitive markets.
People want to take part and contribute to society. Therefore empowerment is necessary but also for the protection of democracy.
SERUS brings together the social economy and the civil society as well as local and regional development issues out from the perspective of the European Union, by consolidating global tendencies and local/regional initiatives.
The membership of Sweden to the European Union produced new forms of regional and local co-operation. Local development in Scandinavia is increasingly dependent on the development in other regions of Europe. More actors and large cross-sector partnerships are progress factors for successful development and growth.
SERUS is operating mainly from Sweden and Brussels with three physical offices, Brussels, Östersund and Linköping. We are proceeding and continuing the long and unique tradition of good contacts and reputation that amongst others the Swedish co-operative sector established already in the early 90s.
By means of active participation to EU policy matters, mainly within the field of Social Economy and regional policy, SERUS has successfully established a broad network of contacts all around Europe. In developing initiatives and extensively working within the policy areas of the European Union, today SERUS has achieved unique possibilities for lobbying as well as gained knowledge for orientation for Social Economy and regional/local actors in the framework of European development and growth policies.
SERUS works with social and economic aspects of amongst others welfare, communications, lifelong learning, entrepreneurship, employment and R&D. We work on and follow up developments within the EU and support and encourage concrete initiatives by following activities and services:
- project consultation
- coverage of the political and societal environment
- competence development for transnational partnerships
- representation
- lobbying
SERUS has a unique and broad international experience of co-operative and regional development work with project experiences from Central Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, Central Europe and other areas.
The strength of SERUS is concrete project development and the understanding of complex political processes. SERUS offers an open and easygoing climate with scope for creativity and for one’s own initiative. SERUS has also wide competences in language skills and communicates in Scandinavian, English, French, German and Italian language.
- Do you need partners in other countries for EU-projects?
- Do you seek project financing for your ideas?
- Is your organisation in need of early warning and better coverage of EU matters ?
- Are you in need of competence development for transnational projects?
- Are you curious about EU and/or international information about Social Economy?
Do not hesitate to contact us for further information.