3rd Steering Committee Meeting Plan-C, Smolenice

The 3rd Steering Committee Meeting of the Plan-C project in Smolenice provided partners with an important opportunity to review progress, reflect on the recommendations from the First Year Review, and coordinate the next strategic steps of the project. The meeting brought together the consortium to discuss project management, reporting obligations, and the integration of FYR recommendations into the ongoing implementation process. A strong focus was placed on the advancement of Work Package 1, where partners reviewed the transition from design thinking for innovative circular plastics solutions to the development of plastics prototypes, as well as the transfer of technological know-how to regional and transnational plastics industry ecosystems in the Danube Region. Work Package 2 discussions addressed the further development of circular solutions in the machine industry and the co-creation of circular business models to support both regional and transnational industrial ecosystems. The meeting also placed significant emphasis on Work Package 3, including scenario analysis, vision-building for a circular plastics value chain, strategy development through co-creation workshops, and the preparation of the Transnational Action Plan intended to anchor the project’s strategic transformation roadmap. Overall, the Smolenice meeting helped partners strengthen alignment across work packages, connect practical solution development with strategic planning, and reinforce their shared commitment to advancing circularity in the plastics and machinery industries.