€2.7 trillion sector employed 17.1 million people in 2023, roughly 8% of the EU workforce.
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The European Commission has released a new strategic framework for a "competitive and sustainable EU Bioeconomy", outlining plans it says will help shift Europe towards cleaner industries and reduce reliance on fossil-based materials by increasing the use of renewable biological resources from land and sea.
According to the Commission, the bioeconomy already makes a substantial contribution to the EU economy, with an estimated value of up to €2.7 trillion in 2023 and employment of 17.1 million people, roughly 8% of the bloc’s workforce.
EU officials argue that every direct job in the sector creates three indirect roles, citing examples such as algae-derived bio-based chemicals used in pharmaceuticals and industrial products, as well as growing demand for bio-based plastics, construction materials, textile fibres and fertilisers.
However, the Commission maintains that the sector’s potential remains far from fully realised.
The strategy focuses on four main areas: scaling up innovation, developing lead markets for bio-based materials and technologies, ensuring sustainable biomass supply, and supporting European industry in global markets.
One objective is to speed up the move from research to industrial deployment. The Commission says it plans to streamline regulation to make approvals for new bio-based solutions faster and more predictable, particularly for smaller firms. It also intends to prioritise bio-based projects within existing and future EU funding programmes and, to encourage private investment, the Commission proposes creating a Bioeconomy Investment Deployment Group to assemble a pipeline of viable projects and help share risk.
A second strand aims to support promising markets for bio-based plastics, fibres, chemicals, fertilisers, plant protection products, construction materials, biorefineries, advanced fermentation and permanent storage of biogenic carbon.
The EU says it will look at setting targets for bio-based content in relevant legislation to stimulate demand. As part of this, the Strategy proposes launching a Bio-based Europe Alliance, through which EU companies would collectively purchase €10 billion worth of bio-based solutions by 2030.
On biomass supply, the Commission stresses that Europe is currently broadly self-sufficient but argues that responsible sourcing is essential to maintain long-term resilience. Planned actions include initiatives to reward farmers and foresters who protect soils, increase carbon storage and use biomass sustainably.
A stronger focus on circularity, including the greater use of agricultural residues, by-products and organic waste, is also highlighted.
The final component of the strategy addresses global competitiveness. The Commission argues that Europe’s scientific and industrial strengths mean it can play a leading role internationally. It intends to secure partnerships designed to reduce vulnerability to geopolitical shocks and limit dependence on individual regions or resources.
Senior figures in the Commission framed the Strategy as part of a broader shift towards a nature-based, low-carbon economy. “The bioeconomy holds the answer to combining prosperity with environmental protection. It restores ecosystems while leading on biotechnologies,” said Teresa Ribera, Executive Vice-President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition.
"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,” Riber added.
“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. 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," said Jessika Roswall, Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular 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.”