Introduction
| Appropriate policy and legislation is key to enabling
the formation, growth and effectiveness of cooperatives. COPAC and
its members have been active in identifying areas which continue
to hinder the viability of democratic cooperative organizations and
have taken concrete actions to improve the policy and legislative
environment for cooperatives. Below are resources that may assist both cooperatives and policy-makers in ensuring appropriate environments for cooperative development. |
Global Policy Documents
COPAC provided input to preparation of the two major global policy guidance instruments that exist today - Recommendation No. 193 on the Promotion of Cooperatives of the International Labour Organization (ILO) adopted in 2002 and Guidelines aimed at creating a supportive environment for the development of cooperatives adopted by the United ations in 2001.| ILO Recommendation 193 on the Promotion of Cooperatives, 2002 Recommendation 193 applies to all types and forms of cooperatives and provides guidanceon cooperative policy framework and the role of governments, implementation of of public policies for the promotion of cooperatives, and the role of employers' and workers' organizations and cooperatives and the relationship between them. | UN
Guidelines aimed at creating a supportive environment for the development of
cooperatives, 2001
The UN Guidelines annexed to the 2001
Report of the United Nations Secretary-General
provide recommendations on policy regarding cooperatives and the cooperative
movement including the need for public recognition of cooperatives, appropriate
legal, judicial and administrative provisions, research, statistics and information, education on cooperatives, the provision of public funds for support to cooperatives, and the need for institutional arrangements for collaboration and partnership. COPAC played an important in the formulation of the Guidelines. |
Regional Policy Documents
| Europe
Statute
for a European Cooperative Sociey 2003 This Statute
permits the creation of a cooperative by persons
residing in different European Union Member States or by legal
entities established in different EU Member States. Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions of 23 February 2004 on the promotion of cooperative societies in Europe, 2004The Communication sets out steps which may encourage the wider use of cooperatives across Europe. |
Latin America |
Sectoral Policy Documents
| Credit Unions Model Law for Credit Unions Guide to International Credit Union Legislation, 2005 Model Regulations for Credit Unions Source: World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) |
Other resources
| ILO NATLEX A database of national labour, social security and related human rights legislation maintained by the International Labour Standards Department of the International Labour Organization (ILO) which includes reference and full texts of cooperative law. | FAOLEXThe Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) makes available laws and regulations on topics falling within FAO's mandate - agriculture, cultivated plants, environment, fisheries, food, forestry, land and soil, livestock, water and wild species and ecosystems. It includes national and sector specifc cooperative law. |
| ICA Americas: Legislación Cooperativa en las Américas |