As the second in the series of in-country kick-off events, the meeting in North Macedonia marked the official launch of the new cycle of the SME Policy Index for the Western Balkans and Türkiye. It established a structured framework for collaboration over the next 18 months, laying the foundations for broad-based stakeholder buy-in and mobilising institutional support—both critical for the timely and high-quality completion of the assessment questionnaires, which form the backbone of the OECD’s evidence-based analysis.
Bringing together representatives from 14 ministries and government bodies, the event significantly enhanced the visibility of the SME Policy Index within the North Macedonia’s administration and reinforced its relevance for supporting policy reforms. While almost all participants had engaged in previous assessment cycles, the meeting provided an opportunity to familiarise stakeholders with the updated methodology and key novelties introduced in the 2026 edition.
Participants were also able to seek clarification, offer feedback and discuss their roles in the process. These exchanges underscored the importance of strong inter-institutional coordination, both through continuous communication and through regular co-ordination meetings, to ensure the submission of accurate and comprehensive inputs. The discussion further solidified avenues for co-operation between the North Macedonia’s administration and the OECD team, laying the foundation for effective collaboration throughout the cycle.
Building on this technical collaboration, discussions underscored the broader policy significance of the SME Policy Index for North Macedonia—not only as a benchmarking and policy improvement tool, but also as a strategic instrument supporting the economy’s EU integration efforts. Several participants emphasised the Index’s value as a roadmap for advancing structural reforms in line with EU standards.
In this context, this meeting reaffirmed the SME Policy Index as a key lever for reform and the OECD’s continued role as a trusted partner in supporting the economy. It underscored the publication’s dual role in strengthening SMEs’ resilience and competitiveness—not only to support the national economy, but also to advance North Macedonia’s EU accession ambitions. Taken together, the event set a strong tone for a rigorous, policy-relevant and impactful assessment in the period ahead.
