Proposed Polish legislation, which would have seen the demutualisation of the country’s co-operative sector, is dead with the help of the hands-on approach of the ICA.
Pauline Green, ICA President, and Felice Scalvini, Cooperatives Europe president, attended meetings with government ministers in Poland, including the Deputy Prime Minister, in June to argue the case against the two pieces of planned legislation.
The legislation affected, firstly, the Polish co-operative housing sector and, secondly, the governance of co-operatives.
Green and Scalvini’s flying visit saw them attend a co-operative rally, the first of its kind, which drew a crowd of about 4500.
“..the Treaty of Rome, the founding Treaty of the European Union, specifically identifies the co-operative model of business as a valued and legitimate part of the European economy,” Dame Pauline told the rally. “Any attempt to close down co-operative business by government action should be challenged with the European Union.”
Their physical presence was backed up with letters of support to the president of the Polish Co-operative Council Alfred Domagalski by Secretary General of Co-operatives UK Ed Mayo and by The Co-operative Group.
Source: ICA News
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