The Traceability & Big Data interregional partnership continues to strengthen its commitment to collaborative innovation across European regions, moving into a new phase marked by stronger, more proactive, and results-oriented cooperation. In the latest technical meeting, held virtually on the 30th May, participating partners reflected on the work done in recent months and outlined the next key steps to turn joint efforts into tangible interregional projects.

The session opened with a presentation of the State of the Art Report, summarising the partnership's current positioning. This analysis included the latest activities performed, projects under the partnership’s umbrella and success stories done during the 8 years that Traceability & Big Data started its work.

Next, the Working Group on Interoperability shared the outcomes of their preliminary activities, including the identification of key challenges in data standardisation and system integration. The group leader underlined the need to develop interoperable solutions aligned with real needs to facilitate smoother cross-regional collaboration in the agrifood sector.

The Working Group on Circular Bioeconomy followed, presenting key insights gathered through the mapping of regions and stakeholders involved. Several thematic opportunities were identified to build synergies across regions with aligned priorities in key areas.

The Working Group on Roadmap also presented its proposal for the next steps, which include the creation of a strategic plan to guide the partnership's activities in the short and medium term based on the mapping performed through public entities, business support organisations and research & training organisations. This roadmap aims to align future actions with policy priorities and funding opportunities, ensuring coherence and continuity in the partnership's work.

A particularly valuable highlight was the workshop of the Demonstration Service, conducted by the S3 Community of Practice (S3 CoP). This expert support helps identify promising interregional investment projects and provides tailored support to mature them. The service was welcomed as a key enabler for moving from collaboration frameworks to concrete project implementation.

Although not all regions could be represented in the meeting, the active participation of attendees sent a clear message: the commitment to the partnership’s mission is strong. Several representatives expressed their willingness to engage in new proposals, initiatives, and collaborative opportunities, building on the solid groundwork already laid.

Looking ahead, it was confirmed along with several members of the partnership, the attendance to the upcoming face-to-face meeting in Brussels, the S3 Conference. This event was valued as a key moment to advance specific project ideas, strengthen cooperation between regions, and foster direct dialogue among key stakeholders in the traceability, data-driven and circular bioeconomy ecosystem.

As was pointed out during the session, the past months have been devoted to mapping regional assets, identifying shared interests, and laying a collaborative foundation. The time has now come to take the next step — transforming that preparatory work into concrete, scalable, and impactful projects.

In summary, the Traceability & Big Data partnership is entering a key stage, where interregional cooperation, targeted project development, and tools like the Demonstration Service will be central to success. The collective goal remains clear: to translate the potential of collaboration into real projects that contribute to a more circular, innovative, and cohesive European agrifood sector.