The recommendations that stakeholders will evaluate are based on the results of an assessment coordinated by SCP/RAC on the enabling environment for green and circular economy businesses in 22 countries sharing the Mediterranean Sea. This assessment considered the many aspects of the enabling environment with a potential impact on the success of green and circular economy businesses, including the policy and regulatory framework, market demand and investment climate, the socio-cultural context, as well as obstacles and opportunities. Its results are summarised in a series of country profiles and sub-regional summaries that will be made available as information documents for the consultation. The consultation will in particular seek feedback from established green and circular economy businesses but also from the ecosystem of stakeholders supporting them: public authorities with programmes and policies aimed at these businesses, business support organisations, civil society and other organisations and programmes in the region that may be affected by the proposed measures.

The results of this consultation will help SCP/RAC to prepare the final set of recommendations to be presented to the Contracting Parties for consideration at their 22^nd Meeting in December 2021. A webinar on the initial results of the consultation will be organised in December 2020 for the SCP/RAC and SwitchMed Focal Points as well as the national experts on circular economy that contributed to the development of the individual country profiles. The consolidated set of recommendations will be discussed during an extraordinary meeting to be held in February 2021 with the Focal Points, as preparatory step for the COP 22.

Full details on the consultation and instructions on how to participate will be available in early November on the SwitchMed website at https://switchmed.eu/. We invite you to contribute to the consultation process and share the word among your network!