There is widespread confusion at EU level on the exact nature of social economy enterprises. Very often, there is a confusion between “work insertion social enterprises” and “social economy enterprises”. Those two categories are not mutually exclusive, on the contrary. But social economy enterprises are much more diverse : many of them provide high-quality services such as health care or environment-friendly products. Some of them even provide financial services with a social dimension, such as banking cooperatives, which have proved much more socially responsible in the face of the current financial crisis than other types of  banks.

European societies are becoming more diverse as a result of the mobility rights linked to EU citizenship and of rising international migration flows. Some see this diversity as a potential economic and social strength, if properly managed. Others warn of a threat to social stability through weakening intracommunity bonds and a dilution of shared values and objectives. Still others may instrumentalise migrant communities as scapegoats for social or political problems.