This expert group is appointed by the European Commission to advise on the Social Business Initiative (SBI). It is officially known as Groupe d'experts de la Commission sur l'entrepreneuriat social (GECES).
The GECES is made up of representatives of the Member States, local authorities, social entrepreneurs' organisations, banking and finance sector, and the academic and university sector. The group was set up for six years (2012 - 2017) and is consulted by the Commission on the development, setting up and implementation of all actions of the SBI and further development of social entrepreneurship and the social economy in Europe.
The lead Directorate General is DG Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (GROW), with support from DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (EMPL) and DG Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union (FISMA)
Priority areas
- Improving access to funding
- Increasing the visibility of social entrepreneurship
- Improving the legal environment
- Strengthening the External Dimension
Tasks
- Assist the Commission in the preparation of legislation or in policy definition
- Coordinates with Member States, exchange of views
- Monitors the development of national policies and the enforcement of EU legislation by national authorities
- Preparation of delegated acts
- Provides expertise to the Commission when preparing implementing measures, i.e. before the Commission submits these draft measures to a comitology committee
Appointment
Karl H Richter (Executive Director of EngagedX) was appointed to the GECES in 2014 and was reselected in 2015 when the European Commission renewed membership of the private experts.