CASES - Cooperativa António Sérgio para a Economia Social, CIPRL

CASES is a common interest co-operative whose members are both the government of Portugal and social economy organisations (co-op confederations, mutuals and entities that represent families of social economy). CASES is not a federation, nor is it an apex -- but a co-operative of entities (public and non-profit private, and not of individual persons). It probably most resembles the structure of a shared-service co-operative.

CASES promotes the strengthening of the social economy sector, deepening cooperation between the State and the organizations that integrate it, with a view to stimulating its potential at the service of the country's socio-economic development, as well as the pursuit of policies in the area of volunteering. It engages in research, training, encourages public-private partnerships, provides input on public regulation of co-operatives (legislation, tax, etc) and social economy, represents the social economy.   It also has a supervisory role over co-operatives (a bit like a registrar in that it issues legal certification of co-ops and can recommend dissolution of co-ops). CASES has 6 members.