Biotech industry publishes new policy agenda
for Europe – foreword by Finnish Presidency
Brussels, 14 December 2006. The European
biotech industry has today published a new Industrial Biotechnology
Policy Agenda for Europe. Over the last two years the industry has
worked out a set of practical steps to realise the vision of a
Knowledge-Based Bio-Economy (KBBE), where biotechnology’s new, clean,
energy-efficient processes and innovative bio-based products create a
sustainable industrial base to ensure Europe’s future prosperity. But,
without active political encouragement and incentives, the full benefits
will not be achieved, and other trading partners will reap the rewards.
Among the main policy elements set out by EuropaBio - the EU Association
for Bioindustries, industry asks:
-
To establish a coherent European Policy Agenda
for Industrial Biotechnology and the KBBE,
-
To stimulate and support innovation in plant
science and industrial biotechnology,
-
To promote production and use of bio-based
products and processes,
-
To create awareness amongst all stakeholders,
and
-
To improve investment in KBBE-related SMEs.
Dirk Carrez, Public Policy Director at EuropaBio and Manager of its
Industrial Biotechnology Council said “With our member companies and
other stakeholders, we have put a lot of hard work into developing a
Vision, a Strategic Research Agenda, and now a Policy Agenda. Together,
these lay out the vast potential open to us, and the means to achieve
it. We hope that policy makers at both EU and Member State level will
take note, and work with us to make the Vision a reality.”
Europe has two key strengths to build on: an excellent academic base in
the biological sciences, some of the world’s leading enzyme companies,
the world’s largest chemical industry - infrastructure and knowledge
base, and a solid development and production of bio-specialities. But it
also has a lower overall R&D spend than major competitors, and provides
a less innovation-friendly environment. According to Jack Huttner,
Chairman of EuropaBio’s Industrial Biotech Council: “Europe must build
on its undoubted strengths in the area of white biotechnology. But our
problem is in translating the excellent science into commercial
products. We must stimulate public-private partnerships to enable the
development of flexible, research-oriented pilot plants to validate the
concept of integrated and diversified bio-refineries.”
Although Industrial Biotechnology has enormous potential, it still has a
rather low profile not only among the public but also in the investment
community. One important policy strand is therefore a programme of
communication to create awareness and interest. Jack Huttner said of the
policy document “Having done the hard preparatory work, we now have to
go out and spread the messages about Industrial Biotechnology. At the
same time, we need to make sure that we develop a coherent overall
policy framework. If policy makers get it right, biotechnology can be
the key which unlocks the door to a sustainable and competitive future
for Europe. The objectives of the Lisbon agenda are still within reach.”
Mr. Mauri Pekkarinen, Minister of Trade and Industry of Finland and
President of the Competitiveness Council in autumn 2006, said “The
European knowledge-based bioeconomy has every opportunity to emerge to a
leading position. Next generations of European citizens will wonder why
an integrated use of raw materials, such as biorefinery technology, was
not made use of earlier. We need next generation biotechnologies that
are based on what we understand today but go much further in efficiency.
That alone is a major challenge. This document prepared by EuropaBio
offers very useful policy advice with regard to a number of these
challenges. I am sure that the document will give EU policy-makers a lot
of inspiration when contemplating future measures.”
The European Policy agenda for Industrial biotechnology was also
endorsed by ESAB, the European Federation of Biotechnology section on
Applied Biocatalysis, representing the scientific community.
For more information, contact:
Dirk Carrez, EuropaBio; +32 2 739 1173;
d.carrez@europabio.org
Pekka Lindroos, Finnish Ministry of Trade and Industry; +358 9 1606
3597; Pekka.Lindroos@ktm.fi
Wim Soetaert, Ghent University and ESAB; + 32 92 64 60 83;
wim.soetaert@UGent.be
For more complete information please go to:
http://www.europabio.org/ne_wbpolicyagenda_141206.htm
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
About Industrial Biotechnology
Industrial Biotechnology, in Europe also known as White
Biotechnology, is the modern use and application of biotechnology for
the sustainable processing and production of chemicals, materials and
fuels. Biotechnological processing uses enzymes, micro-organisms and
plants to make products in a wide range of industrial sectors including
chemicals, pharmaceuticals, food and feed, paper and pulp, textiles,
energy, materials and polymers. Mankind has already benefited from
biotech for a long time, but with the evolution of new technologies and
a much deeper understanding of cell metabolism and materials science,
many new opportunities have been identified, and others are continuing
to emerge.
About EuropaBio
EuropaBio, the European Association for Bioindustries, has 70 direct
members operating Worldwide, 12 associate members and 5 bioregions as
well as 24 national biotechnology associations representing some 1800
small and medium sized enterprises involved in research and development,
testing, manufacturing and distribution of biotechnology products.http://www.europabio.org
The Finnish EU Presidency 2006 supports the development of European
biotechnology policy by giving high priority to e.g. innovation and
energy policy, and bioenergy in particular. The themes where discussed
during council meetings including the European Council and EU
conferences on e.g. Biotechnology Policy and Biorefineries. MTI’s
Presidency website http://www.ktm.fi/eu_presidency
Adeline Farrelly,
EuropaBio Press Mobile +32 2 475 931724
Direct: +32 2 7 39 1174
email: a.farrelly@europabio.org
