11 – 15 October, 2021
Ljubljana, Slovenia

During the European Social Economy Week 2021, organised in the framework of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the European Union between 11th and 15th October 2021 in Ljubljana, Slovenia, the Association EPEKA, Soc. Ent., has organized a round table on topic of housing cooperatives.

The main event of the European Social Economy Week 2021 was a two-day high-level conference: ActSE2021 on 12th and 13th of October 2021 focused on Digital Social Innovation, organised in a hybrid edition at the Conference Hall of the Crystal Palace in BTC City, Ljubljana, Slovenia. In the light of launching the Social Economy Action Plan in the last quarter of 2021, the main topic of the conference was strengthening social innovation ecosystem through digital and advanced technologies.

Our goal was to increase the integration of social innovation within traditional industries and sectors, which are facing the need for transformation in the post pandemic period.  Through innovative approaches and advanced technologies, we have aimed to achieve innovative solutions related to the “future of work”.


The European Social Economy Week offered a series of diverse conferences, panels and workshops in the field of social economy with a focus on scaling up, digitalization and the sustainability of social economy and social innovation. The program activities were led by experts and distinguished speakers from different leading institutions across Europe. Audience included local and international decision-makers, leading innovators and representatives of small, medium and large enterprises.


EPEKA online conference: Housing cooperatives 

11th October 2021

We are facing some serious issues nowadays concerning housing, which we can easily call the greatest challenge youth and also other generations are facing. Especially in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, but also in other regions rents are rising, real estates prices are reaching record highs and the future does not promise any significant hope for young people securing housing.

In the frame of this year’s Social Economy week we wanted to present and illustrate the situation in Slovenia with the help of other guests. In Slovenia we still do not have an established housing cooperative and there is not even a law foundation or policy framework which would facilitate its establishment it in the near future. Thus, during the first day of ActSe2021 we have continued with our efforts to work on this issue with our guest and speakers.

Link to the event:

13:00 Registration

13:30 Welcome

13:45 Round table discussion about housing cooperatives

Jasmina Vidmar (general secretary of Associations of towns and municipalities Republic of Slovenia)

Maša Hawlina (Procurator of Zadrugator cooperative and social enterprise)

Štefan Simončič (President of the Association EPEKA, Social Enterprise)

Moderator: Mateo Hočuršćak

Closing speech by Jerica Lorenci (member of EPEKA housing cooperative)

Link to the law proposal:

Predlog zakona o spodbujanju gradnje javnih najemnih stanovanj

The Association EPEKA, Soc. Ent., is supported by: