EuropaBio, the European Association for Bioindustries, announced on February 21, 2024, the release of a position paper calling for “bold ambition, and five core principles to ensure impactful industrial growth.” According to the position paper, “EC Initiative on Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing: Principles for an impactful Europe,” the European Commission’s (EC) forthcoming Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Initiative “is a unique opportunity for the [European Union (EU)] to build on its strong research and innovation base towards clear industrial, societal and market targets.” The position paper states that the following five core principles should underpin goals for Europe’s approach to biotechnology and biomanufacturing, not only within the proposed Initiative, but integral to the EU’s implementation of industrial strategy across sectors:

• Recognize societal and economic benefits from biotechnology and biomanufacturing, with a predictable and coherent policy framework throughout value chains that enables growth and transformation across sectors;
• Ensure competitive market access for biotechnology and biomanufactured products in Europe and allow European companies to be active contributors into globally resilient supply chains, with informed citizen confidence, including clear regulatory pathways for innovative advances;
• Unlock the full potential of Europe’s Single Market for biotechnology processes and biomanufacturing, including for people, goods, services, and capital;
• Create investment frameworks for biotechnology and biomanufacturing, including access to risk capital within Europe, to facilitate multi-scale production facilities and biorefineries and achieve pan-European capacity; and
• Apply innovation principles within research and development (R&D) priorities for biotechnology (including digital and artificial intelligence (AI) advancement), enhance intellectual property protection and develop skills to accelerate industrial transition and production through innovation.

According to EuropaBio, signatories will be added through 2024, “working to highlight Initiative priorities for their own sectors and creating a shared voice for the transformation of Europe’s industry at a time of unprecedented global commitment to biomanufacturing.”