Sustainable and circular: Bioeconomy, the European way

The bioeconomy covers all sectors and systems that rely on biological resources – animals, plants, micro-organisms and derived biomass, including organic waste – as well as their functions and principles. It includes and interlinks: land and marine ecosystems and the services they provide; all primary production sectors that use and produce biological resources (agriculture, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture); and all economic and industrial sectors that use biological resources and processes to produce food, feed, bio-based products, energy and services.

To be successful, the European bioeconomy needs to have sustainability at its heart and be circular by definition. The purpose of the updated European Bioeconomy Strategy is therefore to further develop a bioeconomy that valorises and preserves ecosystems and biological resources, drives the renewal of our industries and the modernisation of our primary production systems through bio-based innovation, involves local stakeholders, protects the environment and enhances biodiversity.