18.3.98 Official Journal of the European Communities L 80/51 COMMISSION DECISION of 13 March 1998 setting up a consultative committee for cooperatives, mutual societies, associ- ations and foundations (CMAF) (Text with EEA relevance) (98/215/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Whereas cooperatives, mutual societies, associations and foundations are all undertakings with inherent character- istics which mean that they belong to the category of undertakings in the ‘social economy’; Whereas, like other undertakings in the market sector, these undertakings must be able to benefit from the opportunities deriving from the achievement of the single market and from economic and monetary union; Whereas, on 18 December 1989, the Commission presented to the Council of Ministers of the EC a communication on ‘Businesses in the social economy sector — Europe’s frontier-free market’ (SEC(89) 2187 final); whereas, in 1992, the Commission subsequently submitted to the Council three proposals for Regulations, amended in 1993, on the statutes for a European co- operative society, a European mutual society and a Euro- pean association, as well as three proposals for Directives supplementing these statutes with regard to the role of employees ('); Whereas, on 17 February 1994, the Commission presented to the Council a proposal for a Decision on a multiannual programme (94-96) of actions in favour of CMAF in the Community; whereas this Decision was amended on 8 June 1995 subsequent to the opinion of the European Parliament (%) Whereas the CMAF are playing an increasingly important role in representing individuals, in defending their demo- cratic rights and in meeting their needs; Whereas, on 4 June 1997, the Commission presented a communication on ‘Promoting the role of voluntary or- ganisations and foundations in Europe’ (%); (") Initial text: OJ C 99, 21. 4. 1992; modified text: OJ C 236, 31. 8. 1993. (> The Commission decided to withdraw this proposal on 29 July 1997, as the Council had never adopted it and the programme had become obsolete. () COM 241/97. Whereas a growing number of Community policies have an impact on undertakings in the social economy and there is a need to ensure that the Commission’s policy on cooperatives, mutual societies, associations and founda- tions is integrated into the other policies; Whereas the Commission, in order to clarify its policy in the sector, must be able to consult the sector’s socio- professional organisations on all matters likely to have an impact on the activities of undertakings in the social economy; whereas close and ongoing contact with the representatives of the sector may contribute towards the implementation of its policy; Whereas the organisations in the CMAF sector are currently consulted through a consultative committee which has been functioning since 1995 on the basis of subsidies granted annually by the Commission; Whereas the most appropriate method of organising these contacts is to set up within the Commission a consult- ative committee on which the operators in the social economy are represented, HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: Article 1 The Commission hereby establishes a consultative committee for cooperatives, mutual societies, associations and foundations (CMAF), hereinafter called ‘the Commit- tee’. Article 2 The Committee may be consulted by the Commission on all questions relating to the promotion and implementa- tion of Community policy on the social economy; its task shall be to advise the Commission on all problems relating, in particular, to: — actions and progammes in favour of cooperatives, mutual societies, associations and foundations in the Community,