AEIP, the European Association of Paritarian Institutions, represents the social protection institutions jointly managed by social partners (paritarian institutions) and aims to promote the paritarian management of social protection at the EU-level. This has been its key objective since its founding in 1996. The values supported by AEIP are based on a balanced representation of employers and employees which is a typical feature of joint management (as well as social policy emanating from collective bargaining), solidarity and transparency; this approach is complementary to that applied within the social economy. Ultimately, its aim is the recognition of the status of the European Paritarian Institution of Social Protection as a structure enabling joint negotiations and joint management of cross-border collective agreements on pensions, health and providence schemesday schemes. The final goal of AEIP is to achieve pan-European paritarian schemes of social protection. AEIP also promotes studies and dissemination of paritarism in the field of social protection through conferences, seminars and publications and representation at EU-level through close contacts and cooperation with the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Economic and Social Committee.