H2CE partners and representatives of the Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE Joint Secretariat met online on 2 December 2025 to review implementation and prepare for the project’s conclusion.
The Lead Partner confirmed that the main activities were progressing towards completion and that overall project spending remained stable.
Network of Hydrogen-Ready Regions
A central topic was the future of the H2CE stakeholder network.
Partners discussed:
- how the network should operate after project closure;
- the roles of participating regions and organisations;
- regional workshops for gathering stakeholder feedback;
- arrangements for continued cooperation; and
- preparation of a joint expression of commitment at the final conference.
The discussion helped move the network from a project activity towards a longer-term cooperation structure.
H2CE Collaboration Platform
The completed digital platform was presented as a central access point for:
- practical examples from participating regions;
- hydrogen-planning tools and methodologies;
- strategic guidance;
- project results; and
- learning and capacity-building materials.
Partners also considered how the platform could be promoted and maintained beyond the project’s formal lifetime.
Preparing the final conference
The Steering Committee discussed the final H2CE conference, which was subsequently held in Berlin on 25 March 2026 in a hybrid format.
The event presented the project’s achievements and created an opportunity to discuss the future of regional hydrogen cooperation with external stakeholders.
Practical value
The meeting shifted attention from completing activities to preserving their value.
It confirmed that the project’s longer-term impact depended on accessible results, an active stakeholder network and continued cooperation between public authorities and hydrogen experts after EU funding ended.