The Economic Chamber of North Macedonia introduced its newly established Center for Circular Economy at a national workshop titled "Consolidating the Institutional Framework of North Macedonia for Transition to a Circular Economy." This workshop gathered a broad range of stakeholders, including state institutions, agencies, companies, NGOs, business associations, and representatives from the European Union, such as embassies and the EU delegation in North Macedonia.

The reason for creating this Center was briefly explained: the need for a centralized business hub to gather all information related to the circular economy concept, process it, and distribute it to its members. The Center’s core functions will be carried out by its three departments—Legal Regulation, Development, and Financing—serving as the main operational units. These departments will cover company interests and enable them to begin transitioning from a linear to a circular economy.

Throughout the day-long workshop, companies directly involved in these processes shared their experiences, along with insights on current and future procedures to be introduced by relevant institutions, such as the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Environment, and the Customs Administration. Funding opportunities through the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF), which provides €6 billion as a significant resource for supporting this transition, were also highlighted.

The Growth Plan for the Western Balkans rests on four pillars:

1. Enhancing economic integration with the EU Single Market (including segments such as energy market integration and decarbonization).
2. Strengthening economic integration among Western Balkan countries through the Common Regional Market.
3. Accelerating fundamental reforms.
4. Increasing financial support.

The event was both extensive and impactful, maintaining strong arguments throughout. This highlighted the societal need for new data, insights, experiences, and meetings on this globally relevant topic.