To improve biotechnology and biomanufacturing in the EU, the Commission has proposed a series of targeted actions.
Regarded as one of the most promising technological areas of the century, these technologies hold great potential to help the EU modernise its agriculture, forestry, energy, food and feed sectors as well as its industry.
Biotechnology is one of the EU's fastest-growing innovative industries, characterised by high labour productivity. It contributed €31 billion to its overall GDP, and has created more than 200,000 direct jobs in healthcare, industry and agriculture. Additionally, it supports over 600,000 jobs – indirect and induced – in the broader economy.
Advances in life sciences, bolstered by digitalisation and AI, along with the potential of biology-based solutions to solve societal issues, position biotechnology and biomanufacturing as one of the most promising technological areas of this century.
Biotechnology and biomanufacturing – or the use and transformation of biological resources into chemicals, products and energy – are revolutionising several industrial sectors such as chemicals, textiles, cosmetics and agri-food, and supporting the emergence of new, sustainable consumer products.
However, currently the EU's biotechnology and biomanufacturing sectors are facing several challenges, such as research commercialisation, regulatory complexities, access to funding, skills shortages, supply chain issues, intellectual property concerns, public acceptance, and economic security. To overcome these hurdles, the Commission is proposing a series of actions.
Key actions
The Commission is conducting a study comparing the EU's biotech innovation landscape with global leaders to identify innovation drivers and bottlenecks. It also intends to make more productive use of research infrastructure and speed up the development of the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation and Synthetic Biology Accelerator as a trusted digital repository and service network for the sector.
To stimulate market demand for bio-based products, the Commission will review the assessment of fossil-based and bio-based products to ensure equivalence of treatment and explore labelling options for non-food bio-manufactured goods. It also aims to accelerate the shift from fossil feedstock by assessing the feasibility of bio-based content requirements for specific products and public procurement.
In addition, the Commission will assess how EU legislation and implementation can be streamlined and simplified to reduce market entry time for biotech innovations – laying the foundations for a possible EU Biotech Act. It also plans to establish an EU Biotech Hub, and promote the establishment of regulatory sandboxes to support the testing of novel solutions in a controlled environment.
Furthermore, investment in the sector will be encouraged through various EU funding instruments, and the inclusion of biotech challenges in the European Innovation Council's accelerator work programme. Skills development will also be addressed through Large-Scale and Regional Skills Partnerships, with potential co-financing from the Erasmus+ programme.
Finally, AI and generative AI in biotech and biomanufacturing will be supported through stakeholder exchanges and by promoting easier access to EuroHPC supercomputing resources for AI startups.
The EU Bioeconomy Strategy will be reviewed by the end of 2025. This will take into account the current societal, demographic and environmental challenges, reinforcing the bioeconomy's industrial dimension and its links to biotechnology and biomanufacturing.
Communication on boosting biotechnology and biomanufacturing in the EU
Details
- Publication date
- 26 June 2024