WE.Circular: Report from the Transnational Policy Analysis

The Report on the analysis of policies and legislative framework summarizes and synthesizes the state of the existing policies when it comes to support of women entrepreneurship in transition to the circular economy process in twelve countries of the Danube region: Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia, as well as the challenges and opportunities faced by women entrepreneurs (WEs) in the transition to the circular economy (CE).

The analysis aims to:

• Provide a general overview of the legal framework and existing policies regarding WEs in the transition to the circular economy for the twelve countries of the Danube region.
• Outline the key stakeholders and their contributions to date.
• Identify the main issues with the current legal framework.
• Identify the challenges faced by WEs in the transition to the CE.
• Assess whether the policies and measures have improved or worsened the situation of WE in the transition to the CE in the region.
• Suggest steps that need to be undertaken by governments and policymakers in order to stimulate female entrepreneurship in the area of CE.

 The report can be used as a foundation for the development of a policy agenda for the Danube Region and for governments, national public authorities, interested groups, and stakeholders supporting WE to identify gaps in the policies and opportunities provided by measures for fostering WE for further development or improvement of the policies.

The findings highlight the necessity for targeted interventions to address the specific challenges faced by WEs. This includes:

• the development of gender-sensitive financial products, 
• the enhancement of digital literacy through tailored training programmes, 
• the expansion of outreach efforts to ensure that all eligible women can benefit from the available resources,
• the strengthening of stakeholder engagement and the improvement of coordination across sectors are also essential for overcoming the implementation challenges identified. 

Strengthening stakeholder engagement and improving coordination across sectors are also essential for overcoming the implementation challenges identified. By focusing on these areas, countries can better support WEs in leading the transition to a more sustainable and innovative economy. 

Furthermore, by synthesising the suggestions from all countries, we can conclude that governments and policy makers in all countries of the Danube region should be concerned with the development or improvement of the following topics:

• Identifying and reflecting the need for tailored support and resources;
• Challenges of cooperation and coordination;
• Overcoming cultural and social barriers;
• The importance of networking and mentoring;
• Flexibility and adaptability in policy implementation;
• Training and skills development.

 The full text of the document could be found in Library section.