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Research and innovation

Bioeconomy strategy

The bioeconomy strategy supports the Commission's political priorities. What the EU is doing, action plan, national strategies, timeline and documents

What is the strategy about?

The bioeconomy strategy will accelerate the deployment of a sustainable European bioeconomy. It has 5 goals

  • ensure food and nutrition security
  • manage natural resources sustainably
  • reduce dependence on non-renewable, unsustainable resources
  • limit and adapt to climate change
  • strengthen European competitiveness and create jobs

The strategy contributes to the European Green Deal, as well as industrial, circular economy and clean energy innovation strategies. They all highlight the importance of a sustainable, circular bioeconomy to achieve their objectives.

The strategy is implemented by means of an action plan.

Action plan

The bioeconomy action plan contains 14 concrete actions 

Strengthen and scale up the biobased sectors, unlock investments and markets

  • mobilise stakeholders in developing and deploying sustainable biobased solutions
  • launch a €100 million circular bioeconomy thematic investment platform
  • analyse enablers and bottlenecks for the deployment of biobased innovations
  • promote and develop standards
  • facilitate the deployment of new sustainable biorefineries
  • develop substiutes to fossil-based materials that are biobased, recyclable and marine biodegradable

Deploy local bioeconomies rapidly across the whole of Europe

  • launch a strategic deployment agenda for sustainable food and farming systems, forestry and biobased products
  • launch pilot actions for the deployment of bioeconomies in rural, coastal and urban areas
  • support regions and EU countries to develop bioeconomy strategies
  • promote education, training and skills across the bioeconomy

Understand the ecological boundaries of the bioeconomy

  • enhance knowledge on biodiversity and ecosystems
  • monitor progress towards a sustainable bioeconomy
  • promote good practices to operate the bioeconomy within safe ecological limits
  • enhance the benefits of biodiversity in primary production

National bioeconomy strategies

Foresight from The Standing Committee on Agricultural Research (SCAR) has been instrumental in developing national bioeconomy research and innovation strategies for EU countries and for the Commission. SCAR represents 37 countries: its members are ministries - or other organisations such as research councils - from all EU countries, with candidate and associated countries as observers.

The BIOEAST initiative offers a shared strategic research and innovation framework for working towards sustainable bioeconomies in Central and Eastern European countries.

EU countries with a national bioeconomy strategy

Austria, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands and Spain

Non-EU countries with a national bioeconomy strategy

Norway and the United Kingdom

Timeline

  1. February 2012

    Europe's initial bioeconomy strategy is adopted. It addresses the production of renewable biological resources and their conversion into vital products and bioenergy

  2. November 2017

    A new way forward is decided at the bioeconomy policy day: event outcome report and webstreamed sessions.

  3. November 2017

    Bioeconomy stakeholders manifesto is launched, providing guidance to regions and EU countries developing their own strategies, as well as to the EU as a whole

  4. January 2018

    A review of the bioeconomy strategy refocuses the actions to better support the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)Paris Agreement climate objectives and new EU policy priorities

Publications

Documents

  • 18 NOVEMBER 2020
How the bioeconomy contributes to the European Green Deal
  • 20 MAY 2020
Research and innovation key driver of the farm to fork strategy
  • 2 DECEMBER 2019
Food, bioeconomy, natural resources, agriculture and environment
  • 12 OCTOBER 2018
A new bioeconomy strategy for a sustainable Europe