It is very encouraging to read in the report that the bio-based sector, with its 700 billion EUR turnover and 3.6 million people employed, is well-positioned to contribute to closing the ‘biomass gap’ between supply and demand of biomass for food, materials and energy.

The bioeconomy helps Europe to be more resilient during crises.  
With the current war in Ukraine and its geopolitical implications, our sector is demonstrating the value of having a robust, sustainable and resilient EU-based bioeconomy. The bioeconomy is helping to ensure essential production and services are maintained with shorter supply chains and by providing the much-needed supplies of food and feed ingredients, bio-based material and products, while offering an opportunity to be less dependent on imported fossil-based raw materials. The bioeconomy is contributing to all these aims, while continuing to focus on circularity and addressing environmental challenges, such as climate change. 

The benefits of the bioeconomy need to be better recognised in policy. 
While the sector continues to grow at a fast pace, the EU has not yet reaped the full range of benefits which the bioeconomy offers. Progressing with the Bioeconomy Strategy will require a stronger recognition of our sector as being an enabler for meeting objectives relating to EU competitiveness and sustainability in various policies initiatives such as the EU Green Deal; HorizonEurope, EU Industrial Strategy, Chemical Strategy for Sustainability; Farm to Fork and the EU Taxonomy. 
To strengthen the resilience of the European economy, the bio-based industries should be made an indispensable part of the EU’s geopolitical strategy. 

The bioeconomy sector is investing and innovating for the future. 
Through the private-public partnership ‘Circular Bio-based Europe’ (CBE), BIC members are committed to investing in circular and innovative bio-based solutions in Europe, paving the way for a more sustainable and resilient future. Here again, the European Green Deal should recognise and integrate the up-scaling and deployment of bio-based innovations. 

BIC is a key stakeholder for realising the promise of the Bioeconomy Strategy. By bringing to the table a wide and diverse range of players from industry and academia, we are ready to work with the Commission to accomplish the goals of the Bioeconomy Strategy.