We use our own and third-party cookies for analytical purposes and to show you on our website personalized information based on a profile drawn up from your browsing habits. You can accept all cookies by pressing the "Accept cookies" button or reject their use.
Privacy Summary
EBB at the Bioeconomy Strategy conference in Copenhague
Our partner European Bioeconomy Bureau attended the two day event in Copenhagen December 2-3 presenting the Bioeconomy Strategy, in Copenhagen because Denmark held the EU Presidency. Here we bring their report of the day.
Many high-level speakers were present including Commissioners in person and in video, General Directors and functionaries of the Commission, Danish Ministers and industry representatives. There were no representatives or speakers from Southern or Eastern Europe. Around 300 people attended each day.
The first day was totally dedicated to the bioeconomy strategy and the second day
to food systems. The speeches were followed by Q&A sessions all mediated through SLIDO. No debate was allowed with the audience.
Focussing upon the bioeconomy strategy, here are some comments and reflections which reflect the discussions inside and (informal) outside the conference room itself.
1. The strategy has a good vision of the actual state of the EU bioeconomy,
development of biotechnologies, markets and investments. The picture is quite complete.
2. The strategy lays down an annex of 60 actions to be undertaken by the Commission to implement the strategy over the next 2-3 years. The EBB
document sent to you (link here) explains the significance of these. It is quite
optimistic to believe that all these actions will be taken in the next years, given
the complex political and financial situation in which the EU finds itself,
especially regarding the costs of the Ukraine support.
3. The lack of debate was a clear signal of how cautious the Commission is on making commitments – many questions were asked on the “action plan”. None were answered. Privately, speaking with a Commission official, she said “we start the implementation today”, a hopeful sign. Yet when asked for specifics there
was no answer.
The crux of the issue is markets. How do we create markets for the biomaterials we are producing, that are 4-10 times more expensive than fossil materials and produced at a really small scale still, despite 20 years of investments, research and
policy announcements. The Commission’s answer for now is that markets will be developed through putting down money (€10 billion) and Green Public Procurement.
But if you are a producer of (for example biopesticides or bioplastics) how will you
compete against synthetic pesticides or fossil plastics unless there is an obligation
to use your product? Or a ban on certain products allowing you to enter the market. Mandates are needed but there is no sign these are included in the action plan. A
potential revision of the PPWR and the Biotech Act were proposed as instruments.
We shall see.
For all of us working on bioeconomy materials, the message is clear: we have to
apply all the political/lobby pressure possible to support strong implementation
of the Strategy. This means talking with Governments in your countries to get the
signal through to Brussels that your country supports strong measures. It means
ensuring our policy documents/briefings to the Commission reflect this; that our
members participate actively in the debate. Otherwise we risk that all the great
research going on remains just that, research, and does not become a viable
industry.
It was a significant signal to us that Italy was totally absent in these two days
despite having the most developed bioeconomy with 20 years of strategic
legislation implemented to help grow a biobased industrial sector. It seems that this experience was ignored.
This article was developed by European Bioeconomy Bureau.
Contact: David Newman_newman@bioeconomybureau.eu
Brilian
The BRILIAN project has been conceived to support the adoption of sustainable and cooperative business models in rural areas, to incorporate agricultural by-products valorisation, seeking to increase and diversify primary producers’ income.
C/ Parque de Los Lirios, 8, 1B · 26006 · Logroño· La Rioja · España
Telephone: +34 941 237 720
Search
Recent Post
EBB at the Bioeconomy Strategy conference in Copenhague
diciembre 5, 2025New EU Bioeconomy Strategy by EBB
diciembre 4, 2025Insights from the Industry workshop: Unlocking the potential of rapeseed cake
noviembre 17, 2025BRILIAN in Denmark: General Assembly M29
noviembre 17, 2025Replication event: 7th International Summer School on Circular Bioeconomy in Thessaloniki
septiembre 4, 2025JOIN OUR WORKSHOP to Unlock the Potential of Rapeseed Cake
agosto 14, 2025Categories