On 13 February 2012 the European Commission published a strategy
and an action plan termed "Innovating for Sustainable Growth:
a Bioeconomy for Europe" (COM (2012) 60 final) (the
"Strategy" - click here to view). Following on from other
initiatives such as the Europe 2020 strategy to secure green growth
and the low carbon economy roadmap the Commission's aim is to
create a more innovative and low carbon economy, balancing food
security, sustainable fisheries and agriculture and industrial use
of biological resources whilst achieving protection of the
environment and biodiversity.
Bioeconomy
In the context of the Strategy "bioeconomy" means the
production of renewable biological resources, their conversion into
food, feed, bio-based products and bio-energy. It includes waste
streams, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, food, pulp and paper
production, chemicals, biotechnology and energy. Currently it is
estimated that the EU bioeconomy has an annual turnover
