Structural changes in the development of European co-operative societes

Abstract

In spite of the wealth of experience which co-operative societies now have behind them, they have not gained uniform recognition across Europe. Supranational authorities such as the European Commission, the UN and the ILO have highlighted the important contribution made by co-operative societies in the creation of employment and in the mobilization of resources particularly at the local level. For several years now, however, two different tendencies in the development of the European co-operative movement are becoming apparent and they are analysed in this study. One is towards the creation of growth processes through formulas which aim to bring under the same roof asset holders who by their very nature are a difficult fit, all the while trying to maintain certain cooperative principles. And on the other hand, a tendency towards the creation of micro-companies that act in local markets and allow for erritorial development by means of the mobilization of local resources, based on local allegiance of the partners and democratic participation.