In Rethymno, Crete, for the 6th project meeting

On 30 June and 1 July 2026, partners met in Rethymno, Crete, for the project’s 6th Project and Steering Committee Meeting. The two-day meeting provided an important opportunity to assess the overall progress of the project, examine the implementation of the four pilot actions and coordinate the activities to be completed during the final phase of ProLIGHTmed.

The meeting began with a study visit organized by the partner Renewable and Sustainable Energy Systems Laboratory of the Technical University of Crete, together with the Municipality of Rethymno. Partners visited the Town Hall and the historic centre, where they attended a presentation and on-site demonstration of public lighting applications and data-monitoring solutions. The visit offered participants practical insights into how innovative technologies can support more efficient public lighting management, improve the collection and analysis of energy data and contribute to the transition towards more sustainable and climate-conscious urban areas.

Following the study visit, partners officially opened the meeting with a joint review of the project’s overall progress, the main implementation challenges and the key issues affecting the pilot activities. The meeting was particularly important for assessing the state of advancement of the four ProLIGHTmed pilot sites. During a dedicated session, each pilot leader presented the current implementation status, progress against the activities foreseen in the Application Form, challenges encountered, mitigation measures adopted, preliminary achievements and the next operational steps. Each presentation was followed by a discussion involving the entire partnership, enabling partners to exchange technical feedback, identify common implementation needs and strengthen coordination across the different pilot territories.

The second day focused mainly on the procedural and horizontal aspects of the project, including project management, communication activities, reporting requirements and the coordination of upcoming tasks. Partners agreed on the need to maintain close cooperation and accelerate the completion of pending actions and deliverables.

The Rethymno meeting represented another important milestone for ProLIGHTmed, combining practical knowledge exchange, technical coordination and joint planning. As the project moves towards its final implementation phase, the partnership will continue working to demonstrate how innovative, data-driven and energy-efficient public lighting solutions can support more sustainable municipalities across the Euro-Mediterranean area.