The European Commission (EC) has published a report summarizing comments received during the public consultation for the initiative “Towards a circular, regenerative and competitive bioeconomy.” As reported in our April 1, 2025, blog item, according to the EC, the European Union (EU) Bioeconomy Strategy “marks a significant step forward in harnessing the opportunities of the bioeconomy to support European businesses and drive progress towards the EU’s environmental, climate and competitiveness objectives.” The EC received 362 responses from industry associations (101 participants/28 percent), companies (88 participants/24 percent), non-governmental organizations (NGO) (40 participants/11 percent), and academic/research institutions (36 participants (ten percent)).

When asked what the main objectives of the new EU Bioeconomy Strategy should be, stakeholders emphasized several priorities; 63 percent of respondents (229 responses) believe that increasing circularity across bioeconomy value chains should be the main priority. Fifty-six percent (204 responses) supported fostering environmentally sustainable production, supply, and use of biomass, particularly to halt biodiversity loss. Other goals seen as important include contributing to climate mitigation and adaptation (55 percent of respondents (200)), improving the position of the EU bioeconomy in global competition (44 percent of respondents (158)), and strengthening the biotechnology and biomanufacturing sectors in the EU (40 percent of respondents (145)).

Regulatory barriers identified by stakeholders include unfair competition of biobased products with conventional fossil-based products; the complex regulatory requirements and lack of harmonization at the EU and national level for biobased materials and products; lengthy and burdensome permitting and administrative procedures slowing the uptake of biobased products; and unclear or insufficient rules on what constitutes sustainable sourcing of biomass within the planetary boundaries. According to the summary report, the EC expects to publish the EU Bioeconomy Strategy in the last quarter of 2025.