Bio-based research and innovation
Shifting to bio-based products and processes means switching to using biological resources and biological processing methods in a sustainable way. This will help reduce Europe's dependency on oil, coal and gas and help meet its ambitious environmental, societal, industrial and climate policy targets for 2050.
The shift could save up to 2.5 billion tons of CO2 equivalent per year by 2030 and help accelerate the transition to a green and circular economy.
Bio-based systems is an emerging sector of the bioeconomy that is expected to grow rapidly. It will help create new markets and jobs, especially in rural and coastal areas.
What the Commission is doing
Research is critical to enable, establish and deploy innovation in the bioeconomy.
Commercial exploitation depends not only on excellent research but also on having the right strategic, legal and societal framework to ensure fast knowledge transfer to industry.
The Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking strategic innovation and research agenda sets out the technological and innovation challenges to developing sustainable and competitive bio-based industries in Europe.
One of the key aims is to develop new biorefining technologies to sustainably transform renewable natural resources into bio-based products and materials.
In May 2020, 22 projects were selected for funding to accelerate market uptake of bio-based products, develop new technologies and fill gaps within value chains, establish demo-scale production facilities and build first-of-a-kind biorefineries in Europe.
Policy focus
Funding opportunities
Horizon Europe - Cluster 6: Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment
Calls for proposal on bioeconomy-related themes in Horizon Europe and information on the work programme.
European Investment Bank loans
Loans for projects in agriculture, forest-based, blue economy, waste management. Loansguaranteed by the European Fund for Strategic Investments for high-risk investment in production and processing of food, biobased materials and bioenergy.
InnovFin
Loans and guarantees to innovative businesses for research and innovation activities
European Circular Bioeconomy Fund
The ECBF is part-funded by the Commission and invests in late-stage bioeconomy start-ups
European structural and investment funds
Bioeconomy research related calls can be found in national rural development programmes, European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, Cohesion Fund for renewable energy projects, European Regional Development Fund for smart specialisation
Innovation Fund
Funding supporting the deployment of biobased solutions in carbon intensive sectors
LIFE
The EU's funding instrument for the environment and climate action
Projects and results
BBI JU: a high impact initiative for Europe's green recovery
EU-funded projects across Europe developing new sustainable bio-based chemicals, materials and products
Results pack on biobased innovation
Thematic collection of innovative EU-funded research results in biobased innovation
Results pack on bioplastics
Thematic collection of innovative EU-funded research results on bioplastics
Project success stories
Stories of particularly successful EU-funded bioeconomy research projects
Research project database (CORDIS)
The Commission's primary portal for results of EU-funded research projects.
Horizon Magazine
Latest news, interviews and features about thought-provoking science and innovative bio-based research projects funded by the EU.
Horizon Results Platform
Platform where framework programme participants present their results for you to search, contact their owners, and form partnerships.
Collaboration and jobs
Find project partners
Find partners for open EU calls for proposal
Joint programming with EU countries
Partnerships with EU countries on bioeconomy related issues
Global partnerships
International cooperation in bioeconomy research and innovation helps tackle global challenges
Biobased Industries Joint Undertaking (BBI JU)
BBI JU connects key biobased sectors to ultimately create a sustainable and competitive biobased economy in Europe.
European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Food
Innovation community of industry players, agrifood startups, research centres and universities from across Europe accelerating innovation to transform the food system
BIOEAST
Initiative offering a shared strategic research and innovation framework for working towards sustainable bioeconomies in Central and Eastern European countries
European Bioeconomy Network (EuroBioNet)
Alliance of EU-funded projects dealing with bioeconomy promotion and communication
Jobs (EURAXESS)
Researcher jobs in related fields
Scientific publications, tools and databases
Knowledge centre for bioeconomy
Platform supporting policy making by bringing together knowledge on the bioeconomy from a wide range of scientific disciplines and sources
Scientific publications
Scientific bioeconomy research publications published by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC)
Scientific research tools and databases
The Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) compiles databases and develops software and modelling tools. You can access bioeconomy research related ones here
EU publications portalSearch for available translations of the preceding link
Online library of EU bioeconomy research publications
EU Open Data Portal
Single point of access to open data produced by the EU institutions - all data free to use for commercial and non-commercial purposes
OpenAIRE
You can access all scientific publications from Horizon 2020 via OpenAIRE
