Communication on ‘Innovating for sustainable growth: a bioeconomy for Europe’

In order to cope with an increasing global population, rapid depletion of many resources, increasing environmental pressures and climate change, Europe needs to radically change its approach to production, consumption, processing, storage, recycling and disposal of biological resources. The Europe 2020 Strategy calls for a bioeconomy as a key element for smart and green growth in Europe.

Advancements in bioeconomy research and innovation uptake will allow Europe to improve the management of its renewable biological resources and to open new and diversified markets in food and bio-based products. Establishing a bioeconomy in Europe holds a great potential: it can maintain and create economic growth and jobs in rural, coastal and industrial areas, reduce fossil fuel dependence and improve the economic and environmental sustainability of primary production and processing industries. The bioeconomy thus contributes significantly to the objectives of the Europe 2020 flagship initiatives "Innovation Union" and "A Resource Efficient Europe".

The Bioeconomy Strategy and its Action Plan aim to pave the way to a more innovative, resource efficient and competitive society that reconciles food security with the sustainable use of renewable resources for industrial purposes, while ensuring environmental protection. They will inform research and innovation agendas in bioeconomy sectors and contribute to a more coherent policy environment, better interrelations between national, EU and global bioeconomy policies and a more engaged public dialogue. They will seek synergies and respect complementarities with other policy areas, instruments and funding sources, which share and address the same objectives, such as the Common Agricultural and Fisheries Policies (CAP and CFP), the Integrated Maritime Policy (IMP), environmental, industrial, employment, energy and health policies.

The Strategy builds on the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7) and the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (Horizon 2020). More detailed information on the Bioeconomy Strategy is included in the accompanying Staff Working Document (SWD).

European Commission: SWD(2012)11: Commission staff working document http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=SWD:2012:0011:FIN:EN:PDF

ESO: Commission proposes strategy for sustainable bioeconomy in Europe http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-commission-proposes-strategy-for-sustainable-bioeconomy-in-europe/

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