The multilateral assessment (MA) is part of the international assessment and review (IAR) for developed countries where countries are assessed on their progress in meeting their 2020 targets. MA and IAR help to promote the comparability of efforts among all developed countries and this builds confidence that all developed countries are implementing climate actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The MA of the progress towards achieving the quantified economy-wide emission reduction target for 2020 is undertaken for each developed country Party after the submission and technical review of their biennial reports.

In 2018, the third cycle of IAR started with the submission of the third biennial reports and the seventh national communications from Annex I Parties and the technical review of these reports by international expert review teams.

Ten Parties have been multilaterally assessed at SBI 51 in Madrid, Spain, on 7 and 9 December 2019 which concluded the MA of the third cycle.

Key Messages of the Multilateral Assessment session during SBI 51, Madrid

	30 August to 30 September 2019: submission of questions by any Party to the Parties under MA
	1 October to 29 November 2019: Preparation of answers by Parties under MA and posting of answers
	By 1 December 2019: upload compiled questions and answers by the secretariat onto the individual Party page upon completion of answers by the Party
	During SBI 51, 7 and 9 December 2019, Madrid, Spain:  MA Parties' progress towards emission reduction target
	January 2020: publication of summary reports