This year’s Cooperatives Europe General Assembly will take place in Brussels on April 20. Online registrations are open from March 7 – April 15.
Working languages: English, French, Russian.
Draft programme
09.30 – 10.00h Registration of participants
10.00 – 11.15h Opening Ceremony – 10 years of Cooperatives Europe | Opening Speeches & Honour Ceremony for distinguished members
Opening Speeches:
- President of Cooperatives Europe – Dirk J. Lehnhoff
- President of ICA – Monique Leroux
Member Award Ceremony (with support from CCU, Bulgaria):
- Laudatio for Dame Pauline Green by Petar Stefanov
- Laudatio for Etienne Pflimlin by Dirk Lehn
11.15 – 11.30h Coffee Break
11.30 – 13.00h Coop Member Exchange: The refugee challenge in Europe
The need for cooperation is steadily rising in Europe with more and more complex political, social and economic issues to deal with. Europe is facing its greatest challenge since decades to manage the large and continuous influx of refugees – a task too large for any of its countries and administrations.
So, how do cooperatives engage in this challenge across Europe? A panel of practitioners will provide on the ground experiences to stimulate discussions and questions from the audience:
11.30h – 11.35h Introductory words: Mr. Ed Mayo
11.35h – 11.50h Guest Speaker: Mr. Stelios Kouloglou, Greek MEP, Vice-Chair of Development Committee
11.50 – 12.55h Cooperative Practitioners’ Panel on the refugee crisis in Europe
- Sweden: Mr. Anders Lago, Chairman of HSB
- Italy: Mr. Akram Zubaydi, Coop Auxilium, Ms. Simona Binello, Coop Agora, Ms. Roberta Tumiatti, Coop Pietra Alta Servizi
- Interventions from the floor: Israel (Mr. Mully Dor, Kibbutz Movement) and Turkey (Mr. Huseyin Polat, NCUT)
12.55h – 13.00h Closing Remarks: Mrs. Susanne Westhausen (Moderator)
13.00 – 14.00h Coop Member Lunch
14.00 – 16.30h General Assembly of Cooperatives Europe
14.00 – 14.45h Member Panel on ‘Where we were 10 years ago and where we are now’ with Introduction and Moderation by President Dirk J. Lehnhoff:
- Belgium: Mrs. Hilde Vernaillen, Febecoop
- Finland: Mrs. Anne Santemaaki, SOK
- France: Mr. Etienne Pflimlin, Credit Mutuel
- Germany: Özgur Öner, GdW
- Italy: Mr. Rosario Altieri, Italian Cooperative Alliance
- Spain: Mr. Juan Antonio Pedreno, Coceta
- Sweden: Mr. Marten Lilja, Riksbyggen
- UK: Mr. Ben Reid, Midcounties
- Russia: TBC
14.45– 15.30h 2015 Activities & The Way Forward with member contributions
- 2015 Highlights & Towards 2020 moderated by Director K. Niederlander & P. Bosmans (Febecoop):
- Advocacy: Mrs. Stefania Marcone, member of EUCC
- Member projects: Mr. Jacques Landriot, Board member of Cooperatives Europe with Mr. Jean-Phlippe Poulnot, Groupe UP
- Development: Mr. Danilo Salerno, member of CEDP
- Energy: Mr. Dirk Vansintjan, Rescoop.eu
- Youth: Chiara Bertelli & Sebastien Chaillou, members of Youth Cooperatives Europe Network
15.30 – 16.15h Statutory Business
- Approval of the agenda – quorum
- Approval of the minutes of the General Assembly 2015 (Paris)
- Approval of the activity report 2015 and of work programme 2016
- Approval of accounts 2015 and budget 2016
- Discharge of the Board members
- Statutory Business: membership
- Member requests/motions
- AOB
16.15h – 16.30h Closing Remarks
19.00 – 22.00h Coop Reception & Walking Dinner | Welcome, Short Interventions on Key Achievements (during Cocktail) & Exposition of members
Welcome & Introduction by President of Cooperatives Europe
Official launch of ‘Power of Cooperation – Cooperatives Europe Key Figures 2015’ Report by Mrs. Pernilla Bonde, HSB
Registrations are now closed.
Info: ga@coopseurope-com.alwaysdata.net
NB: Participation is restricted to members of Cooperatives Europe and invited guests.