The social and solidarity economy (SSE) has benefited from a unified framework for action since the framework Act of 31 July 2014. SSE players are distinguished from the conventional economy by their business model, which seeks to reconcile economic activity and social utility through democratic governance and a framework for the use of profits. In response to a request made on its citizens’ platform, the Cour des comptes has drawn up an unprecedented overview of the funding provided by the State, social security branches, the European Union and local authorities to players in the social and solidarity economy over the period 2018 to 2024. It used a wide range of tools, cross-referenced data and a questionnaire to gather the opinions of nearly 450 SSE players. This issue is particularly topical in 2025: the Global SSE Forum will be held in Bordeaux for the first time at the end of October, and France is due to submit a strategy for the development of the social and solidarity economy by 2035 to the European Commission by the end of the year. This strategy, requested by the Council of the European Union, will be consistent with the leading role that France has played in the recognition at European and international level of the major contribution of the SSE to the objectives of sustainable development. The Cour’s groundbreaking work will help to inform the players involved in drawing up this national strategy.
