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Abstract
The term “Social Economy” is used to mean a set of organizations that
share specific operational features, such as solidarity, mutual assistance,
open membership, democratic management and people-based decision-making
and distribution of surpluses, which depend on the activity carried
out by each person irrespective of the capital invested. Farm cooperatives
undoubtedly belong to this group. In recent years, Spanish farm cooperatives
have been experiencing substantial business development. This
process is a consequence of the latest changes in the regulations governing
Spanish cooperatives. Major cooperative groups with high turnovers have
developed in this positive environment. Although there are differences between
countries, the European cooperative movement is a good example of
the prominence that cooperatives have achieved in many sectors. Their traditional
goals are changing and one of their current priorities is to meet the
requirements of the CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) as regards agricultural
multi-functionality. Nevertheless, the principles of this concept were
already present in their own tenets. This paper aims to show the role of the
cooperatives in the new social requirements, taking into account their functioning
principles and the new conceptual frame they are involved in.