GO!PHA Inputs for EU Bioeconomy Strategy Call for Evidence
The EU plans for a new Bioeconomy Strategy aim to take full advantage of advances in biotechnology, supporting Europe achieve its environmental goals, build a circular economy that works in harmony with nature, drive sustainable economic growth. Renewable and biobased materials play a central role in achieving these objectives — by reducing reliance on fossil fuels, enabling circular material flows, and contributing to decarbonized industrial competitiveness.
Advances in technology have vastly improved the ability to harness renewable resources for biobased materials and products, aligning innovation with the principles of a circular bioeconomy. The resulting products not only provide sustainable alternatives to established, linear products but also open new technological pathways for resource use and biowaste valourisation. Many such innovations exist, mimicking natural processes to produce materials like PHA, that can contribute in upstream measures to address microplastic persistence, polluting oceans, entering the food chains, and degrading soil health. Meanwhile marine biomass — like seaweed and seawater microalgae — is also emerging as a sustainable source for novel biobased materials, supporting blue economy growth, in line with the EU Ocean Pact, Clean Industrial Deal, and the Vision for Agriculture and Food.
This strategy is a crucial opportunity to prioritize systemic change with dedicated actions to support the biobased materials sector to contribute in Europe’s transition towards a circular bioeconomy.
GO!PHA recommends:
Creating a level playing field via dedicated regulatory actions, targeted financial incentives, and market-based instruments to boost uptake.
Addressing inconsistencies in science and policy definitions of Natural Polymers and shifting to holistic, criteria-based approaches — assessing material performance based on origin, functionality, impact, and safety.
Ensuring biomass access with a dedicated sustainability criteria for the materials sector.
Updating life-cycle assessment (LCA) methodologies to reflect the overall, long-term benefits of biobased materials and products.
Promoting public awareness and communication to build consumer confidence and reduce greenwashing.