On 12 January 2017, the European Bioeconomy Alliance (EUBA) - of which BIC is a founding member - participated in a meeting in the European Parliament hosted by MEP Miapetra Kumpula-Natri and MEP Miriam Dalli, Vice-Chairs of the European Parliament Intergroup on “Climate Change, Biodiversity and Sustainable Development”.
The Circular Economy Package is one of the currently most debated files at European level. Stimulating Europe’s transition from a linear towards a circular economic model, and closing the loop of product lifecycles are the driving ambitions of the EU institutions. Furthermore, in recent years the bioeconomy has become a policy priority in Europe, as it encompasses the sustainable production and use of renewable resources to produce every day products from food to car parts. The Commission’s Circular Economy proposal must be seen as an opportunity to link the circular and the bio-based economy.
The meeting started with a little quiz to test participant’s knowledge about the bioeconomy and was followed by a presentation on the EUBA on the links with the circular economy and with EU policy objectives. Some concrete examples of circular bio-based products, such as a coffee cup made from coffee waste, were shown to the participants.
Subsequently, Prof. Erik Matthijs (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven), chair of the 4th SCAR foresight Expert Group, gave his views on an efficient and sustainable bioeconomy, reiterating the need for a coherent integrated policy framework.
More information can be found on the event's webpage.
