EU's efforts toward a circular, regenerative and competitive bioeconomy

The European bioeconomy is big. According to the European Commission, it generates about €2.4 trillion a year and supports more than 17 million jobs in sectors such as agriculture, forestry, fisheries, chemicals, and energy. This makes it one of the main pillars of Europe’s economy. ‘It’s not a niche but a broad economic field that cuts across industries,’ says Robert van Rijssen. That scale shows why the EU needs a clear strategy and why Member States, including the Netherlands, must clearly define their positions.

Since July, Robert van Rijssen is working as Agricultural Attaché at the Permanent Representation of the Netherlands to the European Union (PermRep EU) in Brussels. He represents Dutch interests in the fields of agriculture and the agro-economy. ‘My work means translating Dutch priorities to Brussels and reporting European developments back to the Netherlands,’ he explains.

His portfolio covers the Common Agricultural Policy, the Common Market Organization, agricultural trade, food security, and the bioeconomy, among others. ‘The bioeconomy is a broad concept,’ he notes. ‘It includes everything from energy to sustainable packaging and bioenergy to biotechnological applications and bio-based building materials. It is seen as a key factor for EU competitiveness, resilience, and sustainability.’

The European Bioeconomy Strategy

The European Commission first adopted a bioeconomy strategy in 2012. In 2018, this was updated with ‘A Sustainable Bioeconomy for Europe: Strengthening the Connection Between Economy, Society and the Environment’. That update set the framework and priorities for growth.

As part of its current revision process, the Commission launched a consultation under the heading ‘Towards a Circular, Regenerative, and Competitive EU Bioeconomy’. This exercise gathered input from stakeholders and helped shape the direction of the forthcoming EU bioeconomy strategy, expected in the last quarter of 2025. ‘It showed broad interest: companies, trade associations, NGOs, research institutions, and citizens all contributed,’ says Van Rijssen. They called for stronger circular value chains, sustainable use of biomass, protection of biodiversity, and a larger contribution of the bioeconomy to climate policy. Concerns were also raised about the lack of a level playing field between bio-based and fossil-based products, as well as complex, inconsistent regulations.

National strategies and the role of LAN

Europe sets the overall direction, but national strategies help determine how national ambitions are carried out. For the Netherlands, having its own plan is essential, also as there are many opportunities for the Dutch economy and businesses. Van Rijssen: ‘National strategies complement the European agenda and provide detail for implementation, for example by giving policy direction or setting out public-private partnerships. The Netherlands is an innovation leader, and this is a core pillar for the Dutch bioeconomy approach.’

He points to the importance of the Netherlands Agricultural Network (LAN) in Europe and worldwide. ‘The network gives us insight into how other Member States think. For example, my colleague in Copenhagen also covers Sweden and can gauge their views on biotechnology. That kind of information is extremely valuable. It gives us a strategic overview of what Member States of the European Union want, where we can find partners, and where we need to be cautious.’

Van Rijssen adds: ‘The Netherlands cannot achieve this alone. We need partners to reach concrete results. Without LAN, we would have far less influence. It enables both information sharing and joint action. Cooperation is key.’

Differences between Member States

While every Member State values the bioeconomy, their priorities differ. Van Rijssen: ‘For example, the Nordics focus mainly on forestry and biomass. Other European countries emphasize energy, especially biomass in fuels. The Netherlands prioritizes innovation, such as high-tech biotechnology and enzymes or bio-based construction materials. No one is against innovation, but the debate is always about the details: where we set priorities, how we invest, how we can establish facilitating policies and ensure the right conditions.’

Much of the research and development happens through EU programs like Horizon Europe, where there is a cluster focus for research and innovation actions related to sustainable bioeconomy. ‘Without the European dimension, innovation often remains limited to start-ups or pilots. Real scaling up is only possible within a single European market,’ Van Rijssen explains. Without a functioning European market and regulatory framework – including a level playing field – attracting capital and developing the potential of the EU bioeconomy would remain very difficult.

The blue economy and the potential of algae

Europe’s advantage of scale extends offshore as well, an area in which the colleague of Van Rijssen and part of the same team, Carian Posthumus Meijjes focuses on the blue economy. Since 2013, she is serving as the Dutch Fisheries Counselor at the PermRep EU in Brussels, representing the country in the Agriculture and Fisheries Council. In that role, she works on fisheries policy and blue economy issues. The algae sector especially is seen by the European Commission as a major growth area.’

Algae are seen as a promising raw material for biofuels, packaging, food, and water treatment. The European Commission expects demand to grow from 270,000 tons today to 8 million tons by 2030 and 9 million tons by 2050. ‘That could create tens of thousands of jobs and cut millions of tons of CO₂ emissions,’ Posthumus Meijjes says. She points to the North Sea as an ideal location, and this might provide interesting investment opportunities for Dutch companies.

Competition for space at sea is intense, with wind farms (a collection of multiple wind turbines in one location), fisheries, shipping, and nature reserves all competing for room. The Commission encourages multifunctional use, such as algae production around wind farms. For fishing companies, this could create new opportunities. ‘Diversification makes businesses less vulnerable,’ Posthumus Meijjes explains. ‘By farming algae or mussels alongside fishing, entrepreneurs can make their operations more resilient.’

Algae strategy

The EU algae strategy is part of a broader blue economy strategy, which brings together fragmented policies on seas and coasts and seeks to promote sustainability. Algae are considered a versatile product with applications in energy, materials, food, and environmental services. ‘Growing demand, the location of the North Sea, and strong logistics infrastructure position the Netherlands to take on an important role,’ Posthumus Meijjes says.

For algae, however, there have been few business investments so far. Posthumus Meijjes sees this as a risk. ‘If we let other countries take the lead, we may miss the opportunity,’ Posthumus Meijjes warns.

Next year will be decisive

The next few years will be decisive. The European Commission recently presented the new Multiannual Financial Framework for 2028-2034, which will help determine investments and policy. For the Netherlands, both in agriculture and at sea, the time to forge partnerships and focus on strengths is now.

‘By the end of the year, bioeconomy will be a high-profile issue in Europe. It’s essential that the Netherlands has a clear position by then,’ Van Rijssen says. Posthumus Meijjes adds, ‘The same applies to algae. This is where employment, innovation, and sustainability can be brought together.’