The third SUSTAIN-6G Plenary Meeting took place from 7th to 9th October 2025, bringing the project’s consortium together in person in Athens. Organised by WINGS ICT Solutions and hosted at the Athens Titania Hotel, this three-day event marked a new milestone in the project’s journey toward sustainable, efficient, and future-proof 6G networks. 

The event focused on assessing progress across all work packages (WPs), refining methodologies, and reinforcing the shared commitment to integrating sustainability principles into the next generation of communication networks. 

Day 1: Setting the Momentum and Aligning Visions 

The plenary began with a general introduction session, outlining logistics, key discussion themes, and objectives for the meeting. 

The first set of sessions focused on sustainability requirements and evaluation frameworks, where partners examined the evolving methodologies for assessing 6G sustainability across use cases. These discussions paved the way for the development of a robust reference scenario framework to guide future evaluations. 

Later in the morning, sessions dedicated to research and innovation topics explored technical enablers and their contributions to the project’s sustainability objectives. Partners shared updates on ongoing investigations, highlighting innovative approaches to achieving energy efficiency, resilience, and social impact through 6G technologies. 

The afternoon featured planning sessions on Proof-of-Concept (PoC) implementation, where teams coordinated the integration of technological enablers from multiple work packages. In parallel, the General Assembly reviewed project management, dissemination strategies, and upcoming milestones, including the next plenary meeting and the first project review. 

The day concluded with discussions on communication, dissemination, standardisation, and exploitation, aligning plans for 2026 events and publications to enhance the visibility and impact of the SUSTAIN-6G initiative. 

Day 2: Deep Collaboration Across Use Cases and Methodologies 

The second day fostered strong interaction between technical and use-case-focused teams, promoting a holistic approach to sustainable 6G innovation. 

The morning sessions combined work from WP2, WP3, and WP4, focusing on three core verticals: Smart Grid, Agriculture, and eHealth. Dedicated breakout groups analysed technological gaps, methodological approaches, and cross-domain synergies, ensuring that sustainability considerations are embedded in every use case. 

In the afternoon, the spotlight turned to WP6, addressing the integration of results and interworking among technical and sustainability-oriented tasks. The session concluded with an alignment of deliverables, responsibilities, and timelines to ensure consistency across work packages. 

The day ended on a high note with a social dinner in central Athens, where partners exchanged ideas in an informal setting, strengthening collaboration and team spirit under the city’s vibrant evening atmosphere. 

Day 3: From Planning to Action – Defining the Road Ahead 

The final day of the plenary centred on consolidating outcomes and shaping the next phase of project activities. 

Morning sessions brought together multiple work packages to summarise results, define next steps for PoC integration, and prepare for upcoming deliverables. Parallel discussions focused on standardisation efforts, ensuring SUSTAIN-6G’s contributions are aligned with international frameworks such as 3GPP, ITU, and CEN-CENELEC. 

The closing session recapped the achievements of the three-day meeting, highlighting key decisions, progress across work packages, and immediate actions for the months ahead. 

The afternoon offers an open working space for continued collaboration, addressing topics such as deliverable editing, interworking follow-ups, and the role of security and privacy in achieving sustainable 6G development. 

Conclusion 

As the project moves forward, the momentum built in Athens will continue to drive progress toward innovative, sustainability-driven 6G technologies — setting the stage for the upcoming fourth plenary meeting in Ghent in February and beyond future meetings.