STOPP CELEBRATES ITS GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN VAASA

On June 17–18, 2025, the STOPP partners gathered at the University of Vaasa in Finland and online for the project’s 4th Consortium Meeting and General Assembly. The event opened with a warm welcome from Dean Merja Koskela and featured comprehensive presentations from all work package leaders. Partners discussed key project advancements, including environmental assessments of food packaging (WP2), innovative business and design models (WP3), reusable packaging pilots (WP4), and safe recycling practices (WP5). Two parallel workshops provided hands-on opportunities to deepen the dialogue on reuse and recycling strategies. The day concluded with a group photo and a working dinner on the Finnish archipelago, reinforcing team cohesion.

The second day commenced with a recap of the previous discussions and introduced updates on communication, dissemination, and exploitation (WP8), led by SIE. Coordination and management aspects (WP1) were presented by VTT, with a detailed walkthrough of the financial and technical reporting process in view of the upcoming Periodic Report due in August. The General Assembly then formally convened, providing a space for strategic dialogue on priorities, deliverables, and planning the next consortium meeting. Key financial and administrative deadlines were confirmed, and all partners were reminded to update data, ethics monitoring, and researcher information in the EU portal.

Throughout the event, emphasis was placed on effective collaboration, timely deliverable submission, and preparations for future stakeholder engagement and policy dialogue activities. From progress on life-cycle assessments and social innovation campaigns to testing reuse solutions in real-world settings, STOPP partners demonstrated strong commitment to advancing sustainable packaging systems. The Vaasa meeting not only celebrated achievements but also reinforced momentum towards impactful project outcomes.