The Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE COOL-BORDER project officially kicked off with a successful partner meeting held in Istria, Croatia, on 23-25 September 2026.
Representatives from Hungary, Croatia, Austria, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia came together to establish cooperation structures, align project activities, and launch the first phase of implementation.
COOL-BORDER aims to support SMEs in the frozen and chilled food sector by addressing cross-border barriers related to packaging, documentation, logistics, and hygiene procedures. Through a joint support programme and six cross-border hubs, the project will help companies reduce waste, improve resource efficiency, and strengthen circular business practices across Central Europe.
Although the project is only one month underway, partners showed strong commitment and enthusiasm during the kick-off meeting. The discussions laid a solid foundation for collaboration and for developing innovative solutions that contribute to more sustainable and resilient food value chains across the region.
The consortium now looks forward to the first implementation activities and to working closely with stakeholders to advance circular economy practices in the frozen and chilled food sector.
