LATIN AMERICAN COOPERATIVE LEGISLATION UNDER THE PLAN FOR A COOPERATIVE DECADE OF INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE COOPERATIVE

This article starts by highlighting the importance of legislation for the development of cooperatives based on the Blueprint for a Cooperative Decade approved by the ICA at its Congress in Manchester 2012, which brought to a close the International Year of Cooperatives proclaimed by the United Nations under the motto "Cooperatives help build a better world". Then, it focuses on the way this issue has been addressed by the ICA itself and international bodies, and refers to cooperative legislation in Latin America by analyzing its main problems and current trends within the above context. Finally, it addresses the Framework Law Project on Cooperatives in Latin America and the collaboration mechanisms established by the ICA Americas and national cooperative organizations with regional members of parliament, as factors that help to achieve the aims of the Blueprint in terms of cooperative legislation.