On October 7 and 8, 2026, the consortium of the Interreg Europe PROSECO project met in Iași, Romania, for the project’s third interregional meeting, hosted by ADV Romania. Two days dedicated to exchanging experiences among European partners and local stakeholders, with the aim of exploring policies and tools to support the social economy and socially responsible public procurement.

The meeting provided an opportunity to learn more about experiences developed in Romania, review the progress of project activities and discuss strategies that can foster the development of social enterprises at regional level.

An Integrated Ecosystem Supporting Social Enterprises

The first day began with a visit to the AFIN – ADV Group – SFA social economy ecosystem, a model combining business development, inclusive employment, market access and social finance tools. The experience offered an opportunity to reflect on the value of collaboration between support services, financing and market opportunities in fostering the sustainable growth of social enterprises.

Project Updates and Next Steps

During the Steering Committee, partners shared the lessons learned during the first three semesters of PROSECO, reviewed the progress of activities and discussed the next stages of the project, with a focus on communication and dissemination activities and planning for the following semesters.

Torino Social Impact presented the activities carried out so far in the Turin area together with the City of Turin, as well as the next steps planned for the coming months.

Socially Responsible Public Procurement: Comparing Experiences

On October 8, at Iași City Hall, the Policy Exchange Seminar brought together representatives of local and regional institutions and European experts to explore the role of public policies in promoting the social economy and socially responsible public procurement.

Participants included Roxana Necula, Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Iași, and Ioana Danila, Councillor of the Iași County Council, alongside representatives from other European organisations.

Ioannis Pergantas, Vice-President for Social Welfare of the Region of Central Greece, presented the Greek experience in responsible and social procurement, focusing on the transition from the opportunities provided by the regulatory framework to their implementation at regional level.

Mieke Frans, from the Province of Flemish Brabant, and Caroline van Campen, from the Municipality of Amsterdam, explored the main developments in the reform of the European public procurement framework and their implications for contracting authorities.

The discussion brought different approaches and experiences into dialogue, highlighting the opportunities offered by public procurement to support social enterprises and integrate social objectives into local development policies.

The day continued with a series of study visits, which gave partners the opportunity to learn about local organisations translating social impact into concrete activities and services.

Strengthening European Cooperation for a More Inclusive Economy

The third interregional meeting of PROSECO confirmed the value of transnational exchange as a tool for sharing practices, comparing intervention models and identifying new opportunities for collaboration.

The exchange between territories highlighted how public policies and socially responsible procurement can complement each other in creating more favourable conditions for the development of social impact organisations and for building more inclusive and sustainable regional economies.