Europe’s bio-based industry delivered a clear message to policymakers last week: products are ready, but the pathway to commercial scale remains blocked.
At a CBU JU Stakeholder Forum in Brussels, 400 industry leaders, researchers and officials discussed barriers preventing proven technologies from reaching the market. On display were car dashboards made from almond shells, cosmetics derived from algae, and coffee capsules from agricultural waste. All functional. None yet produced at industrial scale in Europe.
“Other international actors are investing massively in this sector and have structural advantages,” said Nicoló Giacomuzzi-Moore, head of the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking. “Europe must become the best place where investments flow.”
The sector has produced more than 100 new bio-based products and 250 advanced materials over the past decade. What’s missing, according to speakers, is predictable regulation and adequate funding to support industrial deployment.
The geopolitical context adds urgency. Rising fossil fuel prices and Middle East tensions have highlighted Europe’s import dependence. Bio-based products offer locally produced alternatives from renewable resources, but require supportive frameworks to compete on price.
Harald Dialer from UPM, which has successfully commercialized renewable products, emphasized the need for consistency. “Clear market signals and coherent regulation will accelerate the entry of renewable solutions into the market.”
Eric Mamer, Director-General for Environment at the European Commission, acknowledged the sector’s strategic importance. “What we are doing in terms of developing the bioeconomy will play a crucial role in securing our strategic autonomy and our food security.”
The Commission is preparing two relevant legislative initiatives: Biotech Act II and the Circular Economy Act. Industry representatives advocated for measures including green public procurement targets to create stable demand.
