| SE strategy / action plan 1.2.1 S133S233S30S40S50 Criteria and evidence- S1 · Status: 33 (in preparation (drafting announced officially, or a draft published and pending))
The MEF put the draft Piano d'azione nazionale per l'economia sociale to public consultation on 17 Oct-12 Nov 2025; Council of Ministers approval came only on 2 Jul 2026, so at 31 Dec 2025 it was 'in preparation (drafting announced officially or draft published)'. · source 1 - S2 · Dedication: 33 (SE mentioned in an adopted broader strategy, without measures)
The national social economy action plan was a draft on 31 December 2025; the adopted recovery plan (PNRR) carries a single measure reserved for third-sector bodies (M5C3 Investment 3), which counts as a mention in a broader strategy rather than an SE chapter or pillar with measures (author ruling) · source 1 - S3 · Operational content: 0 (no adopted instrument)
No adopted SE strategy, chapter or pillar whose operational content could be assessed; the draft action plan is not scored (author ruling) · source 1 - S4 · Monitoring: 0 (none)
No adopted SE strategy, chapter or pillar whose monitoring could be assessed; the draft action plan is not scored (author ruling) · source 1 - S5 · Participation of SE organisations: 0 (no evidence)
No adopted SE strategy, chapter or pillar whose drafting or monitoring could involve SE organisations; the draft action plan is not scored (author ruling) · source 1
| 13.3 |
| Institutional structure & dialogue 1.2.2 I1100I2100I3100I467 Criteria and evidence- I1 · Lead responsibility: 100 (a dedicated unit, directorate or agency for SE)
A general-level directorate of the Ministry of Labour, which hosts the national RUNTS office, supervises third-sector entities (DM 7 Aug 2025): 'a dedicated unit, directorate or agency for SE' (third sector read as the Italian social economy, including social enterprises). · source 1 - I2 · Breadth of mandate: 100 (the social economy / SE broadly)
The directorate's remit covers all third-sector entities (associations, foundations, social enterprises including social cooperatives) registered in the RUNTS: 'the social economy / SE broadly'. · source 1 - I3 · Consultative body with SE organisations: 100 (set up and met in 2024–2025 (dated record))
The statutory Consiglio nazionale del Terzo settore (art. 59 Legislative Decree 117/2017) was renewed in 2024 and the new 74-member council, including third-sector representatives, met in January 2025: 'set up and met in 2024-2025'. · source 1 - I4 · Inter-ministerial coordination: 67 (a standing mechanism, or a one-off coordination body)
The DPCM of 11 Jan 2018 (GU 45/2018) set up at the Presidency of the Council a Cabina di regia chaired by the Prime Minister, with the Ministers of Labour and of Economy, the Conference of Regions, ANCI and UPI, as 'sede di confronto e di raccordo politico, strategico e funzionale' to coordinate implementation of the Third Sector Code; no meeting in 2024-2025 was found: 'a standing mechanism in place'. · source 1
| 91.7 |
| Social clauses in public procurement 2.3.2 P1100P2100P333P467 Criteria and evidence- P1 · Legal basis: 100 (reservation or preference explicitly for SE/SSE entities (e.g. Directive 2014/24 Art. 77 transposed, a national SSE quota))
Art. 129 of Legislative Decree 36/2023 lets contracting authorities reserve health, social and cultural service contracts to entities with a public-service mission, reinvested profits and participatory governance (Directive 2014/24 Art. 77), alongside art. 61 reservations: 'reservation or preference explicitly for SE/SSE entities (e.g. Directive 2014/24 Art. 77 transposed)'. · source 1 - P2 · National policy push: 100 (national plan or rule with a target or quota for social clauses or the SE share)
Art. 47 of Decree-Law 77/2021 requires PNRR/PNC-funded contracts to reserve 30% of new hires for young people and women (carried into the Code's social-clause Annex II.3): 'national plan or rule with a target or quota for social clauses'. · source 1 - P3 · Evidence of use: 33 (individual cases reported)
Only individual cases were found (court rulings and opinions on contracts reserved to social cooperatives); no national figures on the use of reserved contracts or social clauses were located: 'individual cases reported'. · source 1 · low confidence - P4 · Capacity support: 67 (a government training programme or helpdesk documented to cover social clauses or reserved contracts, for contracting authorities or for SEs)
The national legal helpdesk for contracting authorities (Servizio Supporto Giuridico) answered on social clauses (opinion 3337 of 3 Apr 2025, topics 'Clausole sociali; Criteri di aggiudicazione', on art. 57(2-bis) and Annex II.3 of Legislative Decree 36/2023); no national programme for SEs was found: 'a national (government) ... helpdesk ... documented to cover social clauses ..., for contracting authorities'. · source 1
| 75.0 |
| Official SE definition 3.1 D1100D2100 Criteria and evidence- D1 · Where defined: 100 (in law)
Legislative Decree 112/2017 defines the impresa sociale: 'in law'. · source 1 - D2 · Content (social aim; participatory governance; limits on profit distribution): 100 (all three)
Art. 1(1) requires a stable entrepreneurial activity of general interest 'senza scopo di lucro' for civic, solidarity and social-utility aims, with responsible management involving workers, users and stakeholders (distribution limits in art. 3): 'all three'. · source 1
| 100.0 |
Legal recognition of SEs 3.2.1 · level 2 of 3Legislative Decree No. 112 of 3 July 2017 on social enterprise (impresa sociale) · sources 1 2 3 4 5L1100L2100L350L4100L550 Criteria and evidence- L1 · Adoption stage: 100 (in force)
- L2 · Scope: 100 (general: SE broadly, including a status open to several legal forms or any purpose)
- L3 · Implementing rules: 50 (some adopted)
Adopted: interministerial DM 16 Mar 2018 (filings with the Registro delle imprese, art. 5(5)); DM 50 of 27 Apr 2018 (transformation, merger, devolution, art. 12); DM 4 Jul 2019 (social report guidelines, art. 9); DM 26 Aug 2020 (liquidators' pay, art. 14(3)); DM 22 Jun 2021 (revenue computation, art. 2(3)); DM 7 Sep 2021 (involvement of workers and users, art. 11); DM 54 of 29 Mar 2022 and interministerial DM 20 Jul 2022 (inspections and fees, art. 15); DM 18 of 14 Feb 2023 (inspection report templates). Not adopted: the decree implementing the investor tax incentives of art. 18(3)-(5) (art. 18(6)), still awaiting EU Commission authorisation. DL 84 of 17 Jun 2025 (art. 14) makes the rest of art. 18 apply from tax year 2026. - L4 · Status or register: 100 (operating, entities recognised)
Special section 'imprese sociali' of the Registro delle imprese (social cooperatives entered ex officio): 22,825 social enterprises at 31 Dec 2024 (24,314 at 31 Dec 2023), over 90% social cooperatives (Terzjus report, via ItaliaOggi, 19 Feb 2025). - L5 · Bodies foreseen by the law: 50 (not foreseen)
The Decree creates no council, agency or observatory; supervision lies with the Ministry of Labour (art. 15). It only refers to the Consiglio nazionale del Terzo settore (created by D.Lgs. 117/2017) and the Fondazione Italia Sociale.
| 80.0 |
| SE support ecosystem 4.3.6 E133E267E333E433E533 Criteria and evidence- E1 · National programme: 33 (project-based only (donor, EU or NGO projects without government lead))
The only national SE/social-innovation support programme is SEED, the 'Centro di Competenza nazionale per l'Innovazione Sociale' presented on 22 Jul 2024, run by Politecnico di Milano, University of Bologna, Politecnico di Torino, Euricse and Fondazione Brodolini under EaSI and ESF+ actions, 'recognised' by the Ministry of Labour but not government-run: 'project-based only (donor, EU or NGO projects without government lead)'. · source 1 - E2 · Territorial coverage: 67 (several regions)
SEED is national in scope but works from its partners in Milan, Bologna and Turin, with no network of local centres: 'several regions'. · source 1 - E3 · Public funding of support: 33 (mainly donor or EU funded)
SEED is supported by 'programmi EaSI e Fondo Sociale Europeo Plus (ESF+)'; no national budget line for SE support was found: 'mainly donor or EU funded'. · source 1 - E4 · Continuity: 33 (under two years)
SEED was presented on 22 Jul 2024, under two years before the reference date: 'under two years'. · source 1 - E5 · Range of services: 33 (one)
SEED offers support to strategies and action plans, 'consulenza e formazione' for public bodies, the third sector and businesses, and support for accessing European funding; of the five listed services only finance (access to funding) is documented, with no incubation, legal, impact-measurement or market-access service: 'one'. · source 1
| 40.0 |
| EU funds mobilised for SE 5.1.1 F1100F2100F3100F467 Criteria and evidence- F1 · Programming: 100 (a dedicated SE measure or priority with an allocated budget)
The national RRF plan includes M5C3 Investment 3, socio-educational action against educational poverty in the South 'a sostegno del Terzo Settore', with calls of EUR 30 m (2021-22) and EUR 50 m (2023); Tuscany's ESF+ programme also funds a social economy action (DGR 256/2025, EUR 1.7 m): 'a dedicated SE measure or priority with an allocated budget'. · source 1 - F2 · Calls and instruments: 100 (recurring dedicated calls, or an EU-funded financial instrument for SE)
Calls under M5C3 Investment 3 require a third-sector lead applicant and recur (late 2021, the 2023 cycle at EUR 50 m, a further call documented in January 2024): 'recurring dedicated calls'. · source 1 - F3 · Channel: 100 (managed by national or regional authorities as part of national SE policy)
The calls are run by national cohesion authorities (Agenzia per la Coesione Territoriale / Dipartimento per le politiche di coesione) and regional ESF+ managing authorities run social economy actions: 'managed by national or regional authorities as part of national SE policy'. · source 1 - F4 · Evidence of take-up: 67 (number of SE beneficiaries or projects reported)
The Agenzia per la coesione territoriale publishes rankings of the PNRR-funded third-sector calls, e.g. DDG ACT n. 72 of 25 Feb 2022 (call 'rivolto al terzo settore per il contrasto alla povertà educativa', southern regions) listing 35 projects 'Ammesso a Finanziamento' with the amount of each, plus 113 eligible: 'number of SE beneficiaries or projects reported'. · source 1
| 91.7 |
| Dedicated national funding 5.2.2 N1100N267N3100N433 Criteria and evidence- N1 · Dedicated line: 100 (dedicated line for SE broadly)
Italia Economia Sociale (MIMIT, managed by Invitalia) finances imprese sociali, social cooperatives and their consortia nationwide: 'dedicated line for SE broadly'. · source 1 - N2 · Instrument types: 67 (two types)
Two instrument types: loans (subsidised and bank) and grants · source 1 - N3 · Continuity: 100 (five years or more)
The scheme rests on DM 8 March 2017 (amended 28 Jan 2022) and was still operated in 2025 (decree of 10 Mar 2025 on grant disbursement): 'five years or more'. · source 1 - N4 · Execution: 33 (budgeted or announced only)
Envelope published; no awards or beneficiaries for 2024-2025 found · source 1 · low confidence
| 75.0 |
