The European Cooperative Society (SCE, for Latin societas cooperativa Europaea) is, in corporate law, a European cooperative type of company, established in 2006 and related to the Societas Europaea (SE).
In 2015, the German meat marketer Westfleisch [de] changed its legal form to a Societas cooperativa Europaea.
[3] Article 2(1) of the SCE Regulation[4] provides for SCEs to be formed in five ways: The creation of a cooperative: by 5 or more persons residing in different Member States or by legal entities established in different Member States.
Thus, subject to the necessary national laws being passed, SCEs could be created in member states from 18 August 2006.
This process started more than three years ago and, among other things, involved an in-depth study,[6] two public consultations, three conferences, and a report from the EC.