Strengthening synergies: PLANETS deepens collaboration with Sister Projects

The European research landscape continues to benefit from growing collaboration among the  sister projects (AlChemiSSts, BIOSAFIRE, DESIDERATA, and RADAR) under the call topic “Development of safe and sustainable by design alternatives” (HORIZON-CL4-2024-RESILIENCE-01-24), and PLANETS is actively contributing to this momentum.

The regular meetings between the coordinators of the 5 sister projects have already revealed multiple interaction points that are expected to reinforce cross-project alignment and knowledge sharing.

Lately, Joséphine Steck (CEA), coordinator of PLANETS, has been invited to participate in several General Assemblies of related projects, presenting key results achieved so far and exploring new opportunities for cooperation:

• BIOSAFIRE (2 December 2025, online)
  The General Assembly of BIOSAFIRE did not generate specific follow-up questions related to PLANETS but further engagement is planned for the coming months.
• RADAR (15 January 2026, online)
  At the meeting of RADAR, partners raised questions regarding PLANETS’ work on alternatives to flame retardants. Due to confidentiality constraints, detailed information could not be shared at this stage. However, the discussion opened the door to a constructive proposal: the creation of transversal working groups to enable structured collaboration on sensitive but strategic topics.
• DESIDERATA (29 January 2026, online)
  During the General Assembly of DESIDERATA, discussions focused on PLANETS’ internal organisation linking Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) and innovation activities. Particular interest was shown in how assessments are carried out within the Case Studies Work Package. Attendees were especially keen to learn about the role of PLANETS’ SSbD ambassadors, highlighting strong potential for methodological exchange.

These recent exchanges confirm the strong interest of sister projects in PLANETS’ approach, particularly regarding SSbD implementation and governance. The identification of transversal working groups and ambassador-based knowledge transfer mechanisms marks a promising path forward.

PLANETS will continue to work on and maintain these established connections to maximise impact, avoid duplication, and accelerate the development of safe and sustainable chemical and material solutions across the European research ecosystem.