On January 22, 2013, following a vote of 21-0 with one abstention, the Legal Affairs Committee of the European Parliament adopted a legislative own-initiative report backed by MEP Luigi Berlinguer in support of a statute for European mutuals (EMS). The Employment and Social Affairs Committee had already reported favorably on the report in October 2012. The next step for this text will be a single reading during the European Parliament’s March 15 plenary session in Strasbourg.

The European Parliament supports its position by referencing a European added value assessment study (EAVA) conducted by the Secretariat of the European Parliament. This study highlights the true added value such a statute would generate, first and foremost by offering greater visibility to the mutualist model, founded on the principles of solidarity and democracy. It would also ensure economies of scale for mutuals and allow them to contribute to effective implementation of the Single Market by strengthening cross-border services and promoting pooling of resources. Finally, the EMS would guarantee greater legal certainty for mutual societies by imposing a consistent set of rules.

The European Commission is expected to open a public consultation on the issue of a statute for European mutuals in the near future. Such a conference has been anticipated for several months.