By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton
 
On June 30, 2023, EuropaBio announced that it “set[] in stone the first European recommendations on biomanufacturing with the publication of its Biomanufacturing Policy Summit 2023 report.” On March 15, 2023, EuropaBio hosted its inaugural Biomanufacturing Policy Summit in Brussels, “marking the first major milestone from its newly established Biomanufacturing Platform.” The Summit captured priorities of 80 industry leaders, policy makers, and stakeholders to highlight the crucial role of cross-sectoral biomanufacturing for Europe’s future. The recommendations include:

• Recognizing cross-sectoral biomanufacturing within high-level European strategies, such as the European Union (EU) Industrial Strategy, Pharma Strategy, Bioeconomy Strategy, and Green Deal Industrial Plan;
• Creating targets for increasing biomanufacturing within the EU economy, supported by policy strategies that identify and recognize its economic, social, and environmental contributions across sectors;
• Coordinating at a policy level the alignment between research and development (R&D) focus, industrial priorities, and commercial applications toward delivering sustainable products and processes through biomanufacturing;
• Recognizing and addressing critical points and vulnerabilities within biomanufacturing value chains to improve European competitiveness;
• Aligning legislation to address unintentional barriers to biomanufacturing scale up for Europe;
• Positioning regulatory frameworks and resources for product rather than process-driven criteria to increase agility and accelerate Europe’s green transition;
• Recognizing Europe’s improved resilience resulting from biomanufacturing capacity for healthcare preparedness and supply chain resilience across sectors;
• Supporting the uptake of European innovation converted into value-added businesses and economic development and incentivizing investment into start-ups and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SME) to scale-up biomanufacturing within Europe;
• Creating a skills pathway for biomanufacturing and advanced manufacturing to ensure access to critical re-skilling and up-skilling in all European countries; and
• Ensuring a global level playing field for transition to sustainable biomanufacturing processes and products.

According to EuropaBio, the recommendations from the Summit will underpin its growth of the Biomanufacturing Platform, working with industry across sectors to ensure that it receives the visibility and recognition required.

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By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton
 
On April 25, 2023, the Council of the European Union (EU) announced that it approved the conclusions on the opportunities of the bioeconomy in light of current challenges, with special emphasis on rural areas. Using biomass to produce food, materials, and energy can help boost rural communities, increase competitiveness, and combat many of the challenges facing the EU. According to the press release, in their conclusions, ministers “highlighted the key role that the bioeconomy could play in achieving the environmental and climate goals under the European Green Deal, while also making the EU more competitive, helping it transition away from fossil-fuel dependency, and strengthening food security in the wake of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.” The ministers also stressed the importance of promoting research and innovation and improving alignment between scientific advances and industry policy. The press release states that the conclusions will provide political guidance for the European Commission (EC) and EU member states on developing the potential of the bioeconomy in Europe.
 
While the Council of the EU welcomed the EC’s progress report on the implementation of the EU Bioeconomy Strategy, ministers put forward a number of recommendations intended to help boost the potential of the bioeconomy in Europe. In particular, they called on the EC to:

• Better integrate bioeconomy into all policies and ensure policy coherence;
• Facilitate knowledge transfer toward less developed regions and rural areas; and
• Update the EU Bioeconomy Strategy and associated action plan and carry out an in-depth assessment of actions being taken at the EU level.

Ministers also noted that the bioeconomy was an integral aspect of the reformed Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and invited the EC to follow up on how EU member states had incorporated it into their national strategic plans.

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By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton
 
On April 5, 2023, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a report on the food safety aspects of cell-based food, which is animal agricultural products grown directly from cell cultures. FAO, in collaboration with WHO, developed the report to engage with respective members and relevant stakeholders “by proactively sharing the current knowledge to identify concrete ways to inform consumers and all other stakeholders about the food safety considerations for cell-based food products.” The report includes a literature synthesis of relevant terminology issues, principles of cell-based food production processes, and the global landscape of regulatory frameworks for cell-based food production. The report includes case studies from Israel, Qatar, and Singapore to highlight different scopes, structures, and contexts surrounding their regulatory frameworks for cell-based food. The results of the November 2022 FAO-led expert consultation, where comprehensive food safety hazard identification was conducted, form the core of the report. According to the report, during the expert consultation, all potential hazards were discussed in the four stages of the cell-based food production: cell-sourcing; cell growth and production; cell harvesting; and food processing. According to FAO, the way forward will consist of continuing to invest in research and development to understand whether the alleged benefits in increased sustainability can be realized. FAO states that in this regard, “it will be important to closely observe as to what extent, if any, cell-based foods result in differences from conventionally produced foods.”

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By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton
 
According to a January 24, 2023, item published by the U.S. International Trade Administration (ITA), the demand for new bioplastic materials and innovative processing technologies is high, contributing to the European and Italian plastics circular economy policy. According to ITA, European demand for bioplastics (compostable, bio-attributed, and bio-based) grew more than 23 percent annually from 2019 to 2021, increasing from 210,000 to 320,000 tons. ITA states that significant investments for biorefineries and to achieve stakeholders’ other development objectives should lead to production of another 100 kilotons of totally and/or partially renewable polymers by 2030 in Europe. In Italy, in 2021, the biodegradable and compostable plastics industry was made up of 275 companies (five chemical producers, 20 granule producers and distributors, and 250 processors) with 2,895 employees and €1 billion in revenue. ITA states that the volume of bioplastics produced in 2020 increased 13.2 percent, compared to the previous year.
 
According to ITA, large investments and U.S. export opportunities for companies are expected in Europe, “as the trend in consumption indicates a demand that is far greater than the production capacity installed in Europe.” The demand for new materials and innovative processing technologies is high, contributing to the European and Italian plastics circular economy policy. ITA states that U.S. companies interested in connecting with Italian distributors, seeking representation and information on how the U.S. Commercial Service can assist U.S. companies, should reach out to Commercial Specialist .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

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By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton
 
EuropaBio announced on November 14, 2022, a new cross-sectoral Biomanufacturing Platform. EuropaBio states that the Platform has the mission to represent biomanufacturing at the highest policy levels in Europe and to ensure that it is visible and recognized within the industrial strategy and Europe’s green and digital transitions. The Platform will address the policy and wider frameworks through which biomanufacturing is delivered. EuropaBio states that together with members and stakeholders, the Platform will address how economic growth, employment, and resilience are achieved through policy, legal frameworks, and regulation at the European Union (EU) and national levels. Platform activities will build an economic evidence base for biomanufacture across sectors; reflect policy priorities from EuropaBio’s Healthcare, Industrial Biotechnology, and National Association Councils; and build case studies to demonstrate diversity and impact of biomanufacture.
 
The Biomanufacturing Platform will host its first policy summit on March 15, 2023, in Brussels. The summit will set the vision for Europe’s global innovation, competitiveness, and sustainability through the lens of biomanufacturing and set a baseline for its understanding and recognition within policy.

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By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton
 
The 2022 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Green Growth and Sustainable Development (GGSD) Forum will meet at their headquarters in Paris, France, November 22-23, 2022. Participants will discuss how the impact of economic shocks, such as those caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s large-scale aggression against Ukraine, affect mission-oriented approaches for green innovation and the role that low-carbon hydrogen and the bio-economy sectors could play in a sustainable recovery. Participants will also discuss the specific challenges and opportunities faced by small- and medium-sized enterprises (SME) and the lessons learned from the international scientific cooperation that occurred in response to the COVID-19 pandemic for science, technology, and innovation (STI) efforts to address environmental degradation. Registration is open to join online or in person.

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This week’s All Things Chemical^® podcast will be of interest to readers of the B&C^® Biobased and Sustainable Chemicals Blog. This episode features a conversation between Lynn L. Bergeson, Managing Partner, Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C^®) and Dr. Claire Skentelbery, Director General, EuropaBio -- The European Association for Bioindustries. Many know Claire from her prior role as Director General of the Nanotechnology Industries Association, where she energized that Brussels-based trade association to new and exciting heights. Claire has brought her considerable scientific, science policy, and trade association management skills to EuropaBio at an exciting time, as biotechnology is widely recognized to be a pivotal component of the European Union’s (EU) commitment to sustainability. Lynn and Claire cover a lot of territory in this conversation and discuss evolving perceptions of biotechnology in the EU, how biotechnology is advancing the EU’s commitment to sustainability and circularity, and what’s next for biotech advocacy in the EU.

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By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton
 
On October 6, 2022, the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) announced the availability of a report entitled Update on Potential of Biofuels in Shipping, updating a previous study developed by EMSA on biofuels and examining the full range of biofuels from the perspective of current production capacity, storage and distribution infrastructure, and power-generation technologies. According to EMSA, the report also features techno-economic analyses and includes risk-based case studies to evaluate the potential of biofuels for the maritime sector. According to EMSA, among the broad spectrum of technology and fuel-solution pathways available for ship designers, builders, owners, and operators, biofuels potentially offer medium- and long-term marine fuel alternatives that can enter the market relatively quickly; they also offer the potential, if sustainability criteria are met, to reduce carbon output compared to traditional carbon-based fossil fuels. EMSA notes that although the current use of biofuels in marine-engine applications is very limited, there is significant potential for biofuels to capture a larger share of the total maritime fuel consumption and support the European Union (EU) and International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) greenhouse gas (GHG)-reduction ambitions for the maritime industry. EMSA states that “[r]ecent regulatory developments in the EU covering GHG emissions and the lifecycle aspect of fuels provide a basket of measures in line with the climate goals that could accelerate their adoption.” The “drop-in” characteristics of biofuels -- the possibility to replace conventional petroleum-refined hydrocarbons without substantial modifications to engines, fuel tanks, pumps, or supply systems -- may offer “an immediate, attractive and cost-effective solution, for the existing fleet.”

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By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton
 
The European Parliament (EP) voted on September 14, 2022, to increase the share of renewables in the European Union’s (EU) final energy consumption to 45 percent by 2030, under the revision of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED), a target also backed by the European Commission (EC) under its “RepowerEU” package. According to the EP’s September 14, 2022, press release, the legislation also defines subtargets for sectors such as transport, buildings, and district heating and cooling. The press release states that in the transport sector, deploying renewables should lead to a 16 percent reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, through the use of higher shares of advanced biofuels and a more ambitious quota for renewable fuels of non-biological origin, such as hydrogen. Industry should boost its use of renewables by 1.9 percentage points per year, and district heating networks by 2.3 points. The text was adopted by a vote of 418 to 109, with 111 abstentions.

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By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton
 
On August 25, 2022, Natural Resources Canada (NRC) announced a call for project proposals to support the establishment of biomass supply chains to ensure that a steady and usable supply of sustainable feedstock is available to clean fuel production facilities across Canada. According to NRC, as a component of the Clean Fuels Fund, this dedicated biomass call includes three project streams that are expected to enable emissions reductions while benefiting communities, leveraging private sector investments, creating jobs, and providing opportunities for Indigenous-led businesses and communities. Application is open to legal entities validly incorporated or registered in Canada, including not-for-profit and for-profit organizations such as:

• Electricity or gas utilities;
• Private sector companies;
• Industry associations;
• Research associations;
• Standards organizations;
• Indigenous and community groups;
• Canadian academic institutions; and
• Provincial, territorial, regional, or municipal governments, or their departments or agencies where applicable.

Eligible projects include:

• Capital biomass supply chain projects that use technologies in advanced stages of technological readiness (TRL-9) and that are designed for commercial deployment; and
• Feasibility studies, basic engineering studies, and detailed front-end engineering studies to assess the new build or expansion of low carbon fuel production facilities. In addition, feasibility studies to assess the feasibility of establishing a regional biomass supply chain risk rating.

All projects must be completed by March 31, 2026. Projects could receive up to 50 percent of eligible costs to a maximum of $5 million in funding. Applications will be accepted until November 23, 2022, for non-Indigenous applicants. Indigenous applications will be received on a continuous intake basis until funding is no longer available.

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