With its own legal framework

 With the approval of Law 5/2011, of March 29, Spain became the first EU country to establish a specific legal framework for the Social Economy, which has boosted its presence both on the political agenda and in the business and productive sector. Today, it represents 10% of the national GDP in our country, with more than 76,000 companies and entities that generate employment for more than 2.5 million people, present in all economic sectors and with businesses of all sizes.

 In Spain, the highest representative of the Social Economy is Cepes (Spanish Business Confederation of the Social Economy). As the sector's employers' association, it was chosen by the Ministry of Labor and Social Economy to lead the ASETT project, the cutting-edge hub for the Social Economy.

 This initiative was born as part of the commitments made in the Perte (strategic project for economic recovery and transformation) for the Social and Care Economy, framed within the Recovery and Resilience Funds, with three fundamental objectives: to establish a platform that promotes collective entrepreneurship and strengthens the competitiveness of Social Economy businesses; to create an International Foresight Center that fosters knowledge exchange between companies, institutions, and academia; and to launch a social think tank that analyses the comprehensive impact of the Social Economy and associated public policies.

 Spain, a leader and role model

ASETT is a strategic project that consolidates the international leadership of the Spanish Social Economy, an innovation and knowledge hub based in San Sebastián. In addition to the support of the Ministry of Labor and Social Economy, it has the collaboration of the City Council, the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa, the Government of the Basque Country, and the Higher Council of Cooperatives of Euskadi.