A Bold Biotech Act

The window for action has opened: A European Biotech Act.

Europe has the ideas, the researchers, and the innovative companies, large and small, to apply nature’s own tools such as fermentation, enzymes, and bacteria to solve many of the greatest challenges we face today. 

Biosolutions is short for biological industrial green solutions. They are the key to enabling the transition from a fossil-based economy to a biologically-based economy. We can reduce the climate impact of food production and transportation. We can enhance Europe’s geopolitical resilience and reduce dependency on fragile supply chains. We can create sustainable production of materials and feed a growing world population. And we can reduce land use, increase biodiversity, create new green jobs, and drive competitiveness. The McKinsey Global Institute estimates that up to 60% of the world’s raw materials can be created biologically, significantly lowering the world’s dependence on fossil oil.

But currently, biosolutions are held back. They are regulated by various regulatory regimes that are not designed for biosolutions. Biosolutions companies cannot scale up efficiently. They suffer from an uneven playing field, lack financing opportunities and have long approval processes.

Let’s boost Europe and a greener future with biosolutions and a bold Biotech Act that includes biosolutions.

Biological industrial green solutions can deliver on the green agenda worldwide. But outdated EU regulation stands in the way of realizing the full potential of the biorevolution. For example, already existing biosolutions could cut 8 percent CO2 by 2030.

An opportunity to create lasting change has emerged, but with it follows the need for decisive execution.

It is essential that stakeholders, the Council, the Parliament and the European Commission all work together to deliver meaningful outcomes. As Mrs. von der Leyen rightly proposes, this upcoming period is 'Europe's Choice'. Bringing biosolutions faster to the European market has to be part of that choice. Bringing a bold Biotech Act to Europe has to be part of that choice.

So what must be done? The European Biosolutions Coalition have brought forward four principles for solutions, six recommendations and eight concrete policy proposals. You can read them all by downloading our manifest below.