On 17 March, the Council of the EU adopted conclusions on the new European bioeconomy strategy. In doing so, the Member States express support for an approach in which competitiveness, sustainability, innovation, and investment are central.
According to the Council, the bioeconomy must develop into a competitive and sustainable pillar of the European economy by 2040. The conclusions support the use of biobased and circular solutions in relevant sectors as fossil-free alternatives. Examples mentioned include biobased plastics, chemicals, construction products, and fertilizers. The Council also wants to be able to broaden this approach to sectors such as textiles, footwear, paper, and the blue bioeconomy, with examples such as algae and sponges.
More demand, more investment
The Council conclusions state that existing European legislation relevant to the bioeconomy must be implemented efficiently and that national actions must be aligned with the strategy. In addition, Member States support more innovation and measures to support investments in sustainable biobased solutions, including through faster approvals and simpler rules.
In this regard, the Council places strong emphasis on market demand. According to the conclusions, predictable demand for sustainable biobased materials and technologies is necessary to unlock private investment. Therefore, the Member States want to focus more strongly on so-called lead markets, sectors with high potential to bring new biobased applications to market more quickly.
Economical use of biomass
The conclusions also state that, according to recent reports, the EU is approximately 90 percent self-sufficient in biomass supply. At the same time, the Council emphasizes that the sustainable availability of biomass is essential for the bioeconomy in the long term. Member States are therefore called upon to utilize biomass efficiently across value chains, with attention to environmental protection. The Council also calls for increased use of by-products, bio-waste, and residues, the so-called secondary biomass.
The Council also substantiates the importance of the sector with economic figures. Across the EU, the bio-economy supports almost one in twelve jobs, employing 17,1 million people. In 2023, the total value of the European bio-economy was estimated at 2,7 trillion euros. According to the Council, this makes it the fastest-growing sector in the Union.
The renewed EU bioeconomy strategy was already adopted by the European Commission on 27 November 2025. With the adoption of the Council conclusions, that strategy now also receives political support from the Member States. For companies, knowledge institutions, and governments in Europe, this signals that the bioeconomy is being more explicitly linked in Brussels to competitiveness, resilience, sustainability, and strategic autonomy.
Source: Council of the EU, “Bioeconomy: Council backs moving bio-based innovations from lab to production"
Photo: Pixabay
