Why the EU supports bioeconomy research and innovation
The bioeconomy means using renewable biological resources from land and sea, like crops, forests, fish, animals and micro-organisms to produce food, materials and energy.
Stronger development of the bioeconomy will help the EU accelerate progress towards a circular and low-carbon economy.
It will help modernise and strengthen the EU industrial base, creating new value chains and greener, more cost-effective industrial processes, while protecting biodiversity and the environment.
More about the EU's bioeconomy strategy and action plan
As action under the 2018 EU Bioeconomy Strategy, a study on bioeconomy education, training and skills has been launched in June 2021. The findings of this study were published in 2022.
Innovations in Industrial Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing
Biotechnology and biomanufacturing play a crucial role in producing bio-based products that address many challenges such as climate mitigation and adaptation, sustainable resource use, ecosystem restoration, food supply and security.
The sector is facing several challenges: research and technology transfer to the market, regulatory complexity, access to finance, skills, value chain obstacles, intellectual property, public acceptance and economic security.
In its Communication on Building the future with Nature, the Commission has proposed a comprehensive set of actions to address these challenges
- a simplified regulatory framework
- a fair set of European standards
- an EU Biotech and Biomanufacturing Hub
- better support for businesses
- reviewing the EU Bioeconomy Strategy
The EU is supporting research in biotechnology through Horizon Europe, the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking and historically through Horizon 2020.
You can find out more about how the EU has supported research in this area, how much its contributed, read about selected projects, and learn more about the Commission's future actions in the factsheet.
Today, the EU is at the heart of scientific research and innovation in new, bio-based manufacturing solutions that will bolster the industrial competitiveness and sustainability of our economies.
Regional Innovation Valleys for Bioeconomy and Food Systems
In July 2022, the European Commission published the Communication “New European Innovation Agenda” (NEIA). The document presented five important flagships. Under Flagship 3 NEIA introduced the initiative of Regional Innovation Valleys (RIVs).
RIVs are crucial because value chains are evolving and initiatives, such as RIVs, can play a major role in helping to develop innovative solutions to contribute to the strategic sovereignty of Europe.
With the main objective of supporting NEIA, its priority areas and the RIVs, the Regional Innovation Valleys for Bioeconomy and Food Systems (RIV4BFS) arise, taking into account Bioeconomy principles. The RIV4BFS will contribute to the New European Innovation Agenda and its flagship action in building 100 regional deep-tech innovation valleys. They will have significant potential to support and accelerate the deployment of the bioeconomy in regions where people live and work, and to address the innovation divide within the EU, with a particular attention to countries from Central and Eastern Europe
The concept of the Regional Innovation Valleys for Bioeconomy and Food Systems was developed by European Commission (EC) with input from Member States provided in a workshop at the European Bioeconomy Policy Forum in July 2023.
Policy focus
Funding opportunities
Calls for proposal on bioeconomy-related themes in Horizon Europe and information on the work programme.
Loans and guarantees to innovative businesses for research and innovation activities.
Loans for projects in agriculture, forest-based, blue economy, waste management. Loans guaranteed by the European Fund for Strategic Investments for high-risk investment in production and processing of food, biobased materials and bioenergy.
The ECBF is part-funded by the Commission and invests in late-stage bioeconomy start-ups.
Funding supporting the deployment of biobased solutions in carbon intensive sectors.
The LIFE Programme is the EU’s funding instrument for the environment and climate action.
Projects and results
The Commission's primary portal for information about EU-funded research projects and their results.
Stories of particularly successful EU-funded research projects
Latest news, interviews and features about thought-provoking science and innovative research projects funded by the EU.
Access to real-time programme data with the ability to filter by country, region, theme and more.
Platform where framework programme participants present their results for you to search, contact their owners, and form partnerships.
Thematic collections of innovative EU-funded research results in the bioeconomy field.
Success stories
EU-funded researchers are improving the tracking and certification of biological waste to help give it a second life as new bio-based products.
- Project locations
- Spain, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Sweden
From solar energy beamed from space to genetic brain maps and live self-repairing bridges, research in 2025 is promising.
- Project locations
- Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden
Collaboration and jobs
Find partners for open EU calls for proposal.
Partnerships with EU countries on bioeconomy related issues.
International cooperation in bioeconomy research and innovation to help tackle global challenges.
Alliance of EU-funded projects dealing with bioeconomy promotion and communication
Innovation community of industry players, agrifood startups, research centres and universities from across Europe accelerating innovation to transform the food system.
Initiative offering a shared strategic research and innovation framework for working towards sustainable bioeconomies in Central and Eastern European countries.
ERA-Net Cofund Action under Horizon 2020, which aims to strengthen the European Research Area (ERA) in the field of biotechnology.
Researcher jobs in related fields.
CBE is a €2 billion partnership between the EU and the Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC) that funds projects advancing competitive circular bio-based industries under Horizon Europe, the EU’s research and innovation programme. CBE JU is the legal and universal successor of BBI JU.
Scientific publications, tools and databases
The European Bioeconomy Policy Forum (EBPF) was launched in November 2020 and is governed by all participating Member States.
The Forum operates on two levels – a high level and an expert level.
Platform supporting policy making by bringing together knowledge on the bioeconomy from a wide range of scientific disciplines and sources.
an overview of the research performed by the JRC in 10 science areas
Online library of official EU bioeconomy publications
Single point of access to open data produced by the EU institutions - all data is free to use for commercial and non-commercial purposes.
All scientific publications from Horizon Europe and H2020 are accessible via OpenAIRE.
Access to marine and maritime data in Europe.
2024 marks 40 years since the launch of the EU’s first funding programme dedicated to science, research and innovation. This booklet presents a symbolic 40 stories to illustrate the breadth of R&I made possible through EU R&I funding and some of the results achieved over the last 40 years. It covers...
