Commission support for the creation of student cooperatives in the Member States

Question for written answer  E-001457/2021
to the Commission
Rule 138
Leszek Miller (S&D)

The idea of establishing student cooperatives on school premises, run by the students themselves, has been recognised in Europe since at least the early nineteenth century. Their purpose is to develop teamwork skills, saving habits and entrepreneurial and civic attitudes, to meet the material and cultural needs of their members and the local community, to organise mutual assistance and to promote the idea of cooperatives.

Cooperative members learn about issues in economics, finance and the economy. They learn about market orientation, time management and the basics of marketing. Along the way, they develop their accounting and mathematical skills, and the knowledge and experience they gain can help them make a better start in adult life.

Student cooperatives play a significant role in instilling cooperative values and principles, mutual help and support in children and young people.

These cooperatives have a long history of almost 120 years in Poland and have always been an important element of the Polish education system. In modern European society, however, they require good legislation that will enable them to operate on a small scale but that will also take account of the specific nature of the activities in which their young and very young members are engaged.

In light of the foregoing:

• 1.Does the Commission support the creation of dedicated statutes for student cooperatives in EU Member States?
• 2.Do the Commission’s action plans provide for support for this type of cooperative activity as part of the development of the social economy?