The Communication is a step in the right direction as it signals the importance of biotechnology and biomanufacturing in Europe’s green transition.

With its innovative power and by creating new industrial ecosystems, the bio-based industries sector is a strategic pillar for biomanufacturing in Europe today. Hence we welcome the proposed actions to leverage research and boost innovation; to foster public and private investments, to speed-up the approval process and market access for biotech and bio-based products; and to properly acknowledge the environmental benefits of bio-based products.

We hope the EU Communication on biotechnology and biomanufacturing will allow Europe to move faster and more boldly, so that the bio-based industries can fulfil their role in enabling the green and digital transition by 2050. Scaling up existing and new business cases for innovative and sustainable bio-based solutions will be key.

We can and should build on existing successful initiatives, for example, the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking which represents a two billion euro investment into innovation and scaling up in Europe’s bio-based industries.

“The EU-Bio-initiative is a welcome step for Europe’s bio-based industries, but more is needed. To be competitive, the bio-based industries will require further action, including a sustainable supply of biomass and more stimulating measures for market uptake, such as bio-based content requirements under the new Ecodesign for Sustainable Products regulation. The new EU Parliament and EU Commission should make the bioeconomy and bio-based industries a political priority. Implementing,  the  actions proposed in this Communication would be a good start,” said BIC Chair Rob Beekers.

“We welcome the proposals to simplify the regulatory framework and to speed up the approval process. This will be particularly beneficial for biorefineries, which play a crucial role for biomanufacturing, amongst others, for the production of bio-based materials and chemicals,” said BIC Executive Director Dirk Carrez. “By simplifying the regulatory framework, speeding up approval and following through with the proposed measures to stimulate market demand, we can encourage investments and bring the bio-based sector from niche to norm,” he added.