The establishment of the National Commission for the Social Economy marks a landmark moment for the social economy sector in Romania.

The new commission, established under the provisions of Article 26 of Law no. 219/2015 on the social economy, will play an essential role in promoting and supporting social economy entities in Romania and will ensure an effective framework for the development of social enterprises and the implementation of public policies aimed at strengthening this sector.

This step comes in recognition of the advocacy efforts supported over the years by ADV Romania, together with RISE Romania – Romanian Network of Social Economy and other important actors in the social economy sector. These legislative proposals were also reiterated in the Resolution of the European Conference “Enterprising for Tomorrow” on April 17, 2024.Structura Comisiei

The National Commission for Social Economy does not have legal personality, but functions as a collaboration, coordination and monitoring body.

The Ministry of Labor and Social Solidarity has recently issued the order appointing the representatives of social and insertion enterprises in the National Commission for Social Economy.

The eight-member commission will include representatives from the relevant ministries, as well as two members from social enterprises and two from social insertion enterprises.

Structure of the Commission

• A representative of the Ministry of Labor and Social Solidarity
• A representative of the Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Tourism
• A representative of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
• A representative of the Ministry of Finance
• Two representatives from social enterprises
• Two representatives from work integration social enterprises

The representative of the Ministry of Labor and Social Solidarity will act as chairperson of the committee. The mandate of the committee is renewed every four years.

Representatives of social enterprises and WISEs in the current mandate:

• Angela Achiței, representative of SC Utildeco Group SRL, work integration social enterprise and protected unit
• Roxana Damaschin Țecu, representative of SC OilRight SRL – work integration social enterprise
• Bogdan Merfea, representative of AFIN IFN S.A. – social enterprise
• Chiș Andreea-Roxana, representative of Banca pentru Alimente Maramureș (Food Bank Maramureș) – social entreprise

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OilRight offers a clean and affordable alternative to collecting and reusing used cooking oil, which is processed and turned into quality candles with the help of vulnerable people in employment. OilRight was established through the Accelerator of Social Enterprises program developed by ADV Romania.

AFIN IFN S.A. is the first non-bank financial institution in Romania with private capital dedicated exclusively to the social economy sector. The organization was created through the financial contribution of 172 founding shareholders, mostly social entrepreneurs.

Food Bank Maramureș is a social enterprise that collects food products from producers or traders and distributes them to organizations that provide social services to vulnerable people.

Angela Achiței will represent the work integration social enterprise and protected unit UtilDeco in the new commission

The creation of the commission was a long-awaited step, and its establishment was one of the key proposals included in the Resolution of the European Conference “Enterprising for Tomorrow” in Iasi in April 2024. The resolution, adopted by ADV Romania, RISE Romania and the “Social Enterprise Accelerator Cluster,” emphasized the need for a governance structure to support social enterprises and facilitate their development.

The inclusion of UtilDeco, social insertion enterprise and protected unit, in the National Commission for Social Economy is a recognition of our activity and underlines the commitment of ADV Group Romania to the development of the social economy ecosystem in Romania.

Advocacy for public policies based on real needs

ADV Romania, alongside RISE Romania – the Romanian Social Economy Network, has always been at the forefront of efforts to create an institutional framework that supports the development of the social economy sector in Romania. Now, this effort is officially recognized.

Through active involvement in this commission, UtilDeco and ADV Romania will continue to advocate for public policies that support the growth of the social economy sector in Romania.

The advocacy component plays a key role in ADV Romania’s vision for developing the social economy sector in Romania. The projects we implement are not isolated initiatives but part of a larger puzzle, each contributing to the same strategic vision: a social economy sector that is recognized and supported at both national and European levels.

Through the BFSE-B2B project – Buy Social Future of Social Economy!, ADV Romania promotes socially responsible procurement, highlighting the need for social enterprises to have easier access to public and private markets. This type of advocacy aligns with national and European objectives to support the social economy, proposing mechanisms that include social enterprises in supply chains and offer them a competitive framework for growth.

The B-WISE project – “Blueprint for Sectoral Cooperation on Skills in Work Integration Social Enterprises” – aims to develop a sectoral cooperation plan to enhance skills within work integration social enterprises, focusing on human resource development and adapting to new digital and technological challenges. The project facilitates continuous professional training, providing support for the integration of vulnerable individuals into the labor market and ensuring their access to quality jobs.

These projects are an integral part of the organization’s advocacy work, complementing the efforts made at the national level through the National Commission for the Social Economy.