Last July, the Turin Chamber of Commerce and the Metropolitan City signed an agreement to draft a Metropolitan Plan for Social Economy.

This initiative is grounded in EU documents that recognize the role of social enterprises not only in welfare and redistribution but also in industrial and economic development, positioning the social and impact economy within the scope of industrial policies for fairer and more inclusive growth.

As early as 2017, the European Parliament, Council, and Commission included Employment, Skills, and Poverty Reduction by 2030 as goals within the European Pillar of Social Rights. Subsequently, in 2021, the Commission adopted an Action Plan for Social Economy, with concrete measures to be implemented at both national and European levels. This culminated in November 2023 with the EU Council Recommendation to Member States on developing framework conditions for the social economy.

Both the Plan and the Recommendation highlight the strategic role of local levels, as social economy actors are deeply rooted in their territories.

In May 2024, a “Social Economy” working group was launched at the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), coordinated by Undersecretary Hon. Lucia Albano, with the aim of following up on the EU Council Recommendation.

The metropolitan plan will take into account ongoing work at the MEF and is structured based on the EU Recommendation framework, focusing on promoting labor market access, social inclusion through the social economy, and the development of supportive frameworks.

The drafting of the plan is expected to be completed by early 2025, following an extensive consultation process involving all stakeholders.