Europe is to create a new framework to better regulate and grow the single market’s bioeconomy.

The European Commission has adopted a new Strategic Framework for a Competitive and Sustainable EU Bioeconomy, which the commission said will chart a way forward to build a clean, competitive and resilient European economy.

It added by using renewable biological resources from land and sea and providing alternatives to critical raw materials, the EU will move forward towards a more circular and decarbonised economy and can decrease dependence on fossil imports.

“The bioeconomy offers Europe a chance to strengthen its resilience, replace fossil-based materials and products, create jobs and lead the global shift to clean industries,” the EC said in a station. “With this new Strategy, the EU will support activities that provide sustainable practical solutions using our biological resources in sectors such as agriculture, forestry, fisheries, aquaculture, biomass processing, biomanufacturing and biotechnologies. It will harness the vast potential of these resources, scientific excellence and industrial base, and encourages innovations that benefit the climate, nature and society.”

With a value of up to €2.7 trillion in 2023 and employing 17.1 million people (around 8% of EU jobs), the EU bioeconomy already contributes significantly to job creation and economic growth in Europe.

It is estimated every job in the bioeconomy creates three indirect jobs in the EU. Examples of products are bio-based chemicals made from algae that are used to produce pharmaceuticals, personal care products and industrial applications. Bio-based plastics are increasingly used in packaging and automotive parts. Also bio-based construction productions, textile fibres and fertilisers are increasingly in demand. However, it still has a huge untapped potential.

“The EU Bioeconomy Strategy aims to unlock this potential by scaling up innovation and investments, developing lead markets for bio-based materials and technologies, ensuring a sustainable supply of biomass, and harnessing global opportunities,” it added.

Teresa Ribera, (pic) executive vice-president for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition said: “The bioeconomy holds the answer to combining prosperity with environmental protection. It restores ecosystems while leading on biotechnologies. It is our responsibility to citizens to build a competitive and thriving economy. The future is not fossil. The future is living, circular, and regenerative. The future is bioeconomy.”

“The bioeconomy offers huge potential to scale up – from the products we use every day, to the homes we live in, to large industrial applications,” added Jessika Roswall, Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy. “This is a growth strategy that will increase our resilience and competitiveness, and at the same time ensure that nature and healthy ecosystems remain the backbone of our economy. It will create local jobs, replace fossil resources, and protect the nature we all rely on. Our vision is clear: a future where Europe runs on nature, innovation and circular solutions rooted in a competitive and sustainable bioeconomy.”