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Bio-based economy moves one step closer as Commission publishes new biofuels strategy Brussels, 9 February 2006: Yesterday the EU Commission published an EU strategy for biofuels. EuropaBio, the EU biotech industry association, welcomes this initiative to boost not only the use and consumption of biofuels in Europe, but also the use of biotechnologies to produce such biofuels, especially biodiesel and bioethanol. The strategy sets out to promote research and innovation in developing bioenergy, with the focus on second generation biofuels. “The European biotechnology industry can and will play an important role in the development of second generation biofuels. Biotechnology will mean that Europe can move progressively towards the bio-based economy, also in the energy sector,” says Johan Vanhemelrijck, Secretary General of EuropaBio. EuropaBio believes that in Europe it will be necessary to create and develop wide ranging partnerships between on the one hand different industrial sectors and companies from the energy, biotechnology, agro-food, engineering sectors and on the other hand farmers and the agricultural sector, authorities and public research institutes. European Technology Platforms like the Industrial Biotechnology section of the Sustainable Chemistry Technology Platform and the Plants for the Future Technology Platform which are fostering private / public partnerships and are being coordinated by EuropaBio, will play an important role. EuropaBio is also member of the Advisory Council of the European Biofuels Technology Platform, and supports in this way the development of the initiative announced today by the Commission. For further information, contact; Dirk Carrez, Tel: + 32 2 735 0313 Direct: +32 2 7391173 Mobile: +32 473 73 65 28 Email: d.carrez@europabio.org Adeline Farrelly Tel: +32 2 735 0313 Direct: +32 2 739 1174 Mobile: +32 475 93 17 24 Email: a.farrelly@europabio.org Notes for Editors EuropaBio, the European Association for Bioindustries, has 60 corporate and associate members operating worldwide and 25 national biotechnology associations representing some 1500 small and medium sized enterprises involved in research and development, testing, manufacturing and distribution of biotechnology products. http://www.europabio.org Useful links
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