Belgium – Research and development services and related consultancy services – Technical support for engaging with EU SMEs in textile and/or furniture sectors in the Ecodesign Forum

The Contractor will be required to provide the Commission with technical assistance. The primary aim of this assistance is to foster balanced participation from relevant stakeholders in the textiles amd/or furniture sectors, thereby ensuring meaningful consultation on Ecodesign preparatory studies, potential Ecodesign requirements and other matters related to implementation of the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR). The Contractor should proactively identify interested SMEs, and engage with them, giving special attention to micro-enterprises operating in the relevant product sectors. The Contractor will explain the provisions of the ESPR and their implications for the textile and/or furniture sectors for the SMEs in particular, outline participation opportunities, and guide SMEs on the expectations and the type of feedback is needed to the Ecodesign forum and/or various stakeholder meetings. Serving as both a focal point and a helpdesk, the Contractor will facilitate and coordinate SMEs involvement in these forums. Ensuring broad geographical and sectoral representation, the Contractor will review ESPR-related documents, gather SME inputs, synthesize them into position papers, and clearly present them at the Ecodesign Forum or other stakeholder meetings, or facilitate SMEs participation at the Forum and these meetings. Physical attendance at meetings will not be required. These activities may be repeated throughout the three-year duration of the contract, enabling the inclusion of new SMEs over time.