PRESS RELEASE
Cooperation agreement between FAFCE & SME Connect
Together for a more sustainable Europe
Brussels, 1st of March 2023
“The digital and the green transitions cannot be dissociated from the demographic transitions, we are therefore convinced of the strategic importance of joining our forces and working together for a more sustainable Europe”. This was the joint declaration that followed a meeting between Horst Heitz, Chair of the SME Connect Steering Group and Nicola Speranza, Secretary General of FAFCE, last Monday, in Brussels (pictured above).
FAFCE will join the network of SME Connect. This cooperation will result in the creation of a Working Group on Family Businesses with a focus on Demographic challenges, in the framework of the SME Connect platform. A such working group will respond to the urgency for “effective demographic and family policies to generate a demographic Spring, taking the example of the national good practices”, as highlighted by the FAFCE Dialogues on demographic challenges.
More than ever, in these challenging times, SMEs and Family Associations, are united in stressing the need for tax justice, as a fair award for the contribution of families and enterprises in building a sustainable Europe.
SME Connect (SMEC) is a Europe-wide network and communication platform. By design, SMEC is a non-hierarchical, inclusive, and diverse network for SME stakeholders and other interested stakeholders connected to them through business goals, scientific pursuits or societal concerns. Our members represent their own positions and interests and can organize themselves with like-minded partners to start initiatives, projects or working groups. This brings to a joint cooperation and a representation of common positions while allowing independence of activities and interests.
Founded in 1997, the Federation of Catholic Family Associations in Europe (FAFCE) is an umbrella organisation that serves as a European liaison platform for its members to exchange their experience on family support and discuss family policy issues. FAFCE has 22 Member organisations from 14 countries and 10 associated members. The Federation holds a participatory status with the Council of Europe and is a member of the Fundamental Rights Platform of the European Union. The General secretariat is based in Brussels.
