Organized 3rd Danube GeoHeCo Project Partners and SCOM Meeting in Bratislava

Photo by RDA Backa

The 3rd Project Partners and SCOM meeting of the Danube GeoHeCo project took place on March 20-21, 2025, in Bratislava, Slovakia, at the Slovak Centre of Scientific and Technical Information (CVTI SR). This meeting served as a first-year review, providing an opportunity for all project partners to assess progress, address financial matters, and discuss upcoming activities.

Representatives from the Managing Authority/Joint Secretariat (MA/JS), Project Officer Mr. Schindler, and Financial Officer Ms. Arsenić Petrović were also present. The meeting was held in a hybrid format, allowing for both in-person and remote participation.

The meeting began with an opening speech, followed by a general project status review led by the Lead Partner, MENEA. This review covered progress made toward the project’s objectives, challenges faced, and proposed solutions. The specific objective lead partners then provided updates on their respective activities, followed by discussions on pilot investments, the financial status, and project spending forecasts.

Photo by RDA Backa

The thematic work packages (WPs) were a major focus, particularly the tasks planned for Period 3 and Period 4, as well as preparations for the upcoming “Train the Trainer” workshop, IT tool testing, and technical documentation for pilot investments. Furthermore, discussions addressed the beta version of the platform, stakeholder feedback, and planning of the interim transnational conference scheduled for June 2025. Communication and dissemination activities were also reviewed, with a focus on partner engagement and plans for the next project period.

The second day of the meeting concentrated on relevant management issues, including the status and the further organization of the deployment desks in all project partner regions. The content of the transnational action plan and the organization of regional consultation forums were also discussed. An interactive workshop on the development of the transnational action plan was organized and moderated by PP2 CROST, with the active engagement of all project partners.

The meeting concluded with an agreement on the next steps, ensuring the continued progress of the project and preparation for future activities.