Tunis/Tunisia — The House of People's Representatives (HPR) approved at a plenary session held on Wednesday the draft law on social and solidarity economy with 131 votes for, 0 against and 1 abstention.

This bill aims at promulgating the first legislative framework in Tunisia regulating the social and solidarity economy in order to develop its contribution to job creation and to boost economic growth.

This bill defines the enterprises that meet this economic category as any enterprise subject to the law, including notably cooperatives, agricultural insurance companies, agricultural development groupings ad cooperative companies.

The bill provides for the creation of a public body called the Tunisian Social and Solidarity Economy Authority.

The promulgation of a bill on the social and solidarity economy is the result of consultations between signatories of the social contract (the Tunisian government, the Tunisian General Labour Union and the Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts).