From 6-9 June 2019, the 7th CIRIEC (International Centre of Research and Information on the Public, Social and Cooperative Economy) and the Romanian section of CIRIEC, 'Laboratorul de Solidaritate,organized an international research conference on social economy, titled “Social and Solidarity Economy: Moving Towards a New Economic System ” was held in Bucharest, Romania. A non-governmental international scientific organization founded in 1947, CIRIEC undertakes and promotes the collection of information, research, and the publication of works on economic sectors and activities oriented towards the service of the general and collective interest with a specific focus on public, cooperative and social and solidarity economy (SSE).

Ms. Esim Simel, the Head of Cooperative Unit in the ILO, participated in the event as one of the keynote speakers. She spoke at a round table session with two other UN organizations, UN DESA and UNRISD, chaired by the President of the CIRIEC International Scientific Commission on Social and Cooperative Economy, Marie Bouchard. At the session, she provided reflections on the megatrends changing the world of work, namely technology, demographics, and the environment as outlined in the report of the Global Commission on the Future of Work . She pointed out to cooperative and wider SSE responses to these megatrends affecting the world of work. She concluded by providing some relevant areas for policy research.

The president of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), Mr. Ariel Guarco, was among the keynote speakers in the conference and shared his views on how the cooperative movement is moving towards a new economic system. In his speech, he also touched upon the challenges facing workers in the world of work and the cooperative and wider SSE responses to addressing some of these challenges. Another keynote speaker was Mr Patrick Develtere, a Principal Advisor at the European Political Strategy Center, who brought up the deterioration of social dialogue in the world of work. He emphasized the importance for the cooperative and the wider SSE movements to re-establish connections with civil society, employers’ and workers’ organizations.