The European Commission has pledged to step up support for the development of the bioeconomy sector, which is seeking to become commercially viable while competing against cheaper, more polluting alternatives.
European Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall told reporters in Brussels that the Commission considered the bioeconomy to be a realistic and necessary pathway for the future, stressing at a press briefing surrounded by “sustainable” products that it was not a concept confined to science fiction. She acknowledged, however, that progress in the sector remained too slow, citing significantly higher costs compared with petroleum-based goods. To address this, the Commission intends to stimulate innovation and attract greater investment.
Although few detailed measures were announced, the Commission underlined the importance of expanding the development of bio-based products derived from plants or organic waste as substitutes for conventional plastics. As part of this effort, it plans to establish a “European Alliance for Bio-based Products” to unite EU companies in a collective purchasing initiative worth US $ 12 billion by 2030.
The Commission also committed to simplifying regulations and approval processes for innovative materials. A circular economy law, expected to be presented in 2026, will include measures aimed at improving the collection and use of biomass waste—organic material of plant or animal origin that can serve as a raw material or energy source.
Roswall further pointed to existing European packaging legislation that requires all packaging to be recyclable by 2030. She said forthcoming revisions would include quantified targets for renewable bio-based plastics, produced from materials such as starch or cellulose.
Greening packaging and reducing its overall use remain central to EU policy, given its growing role in pollution. According to EU data, each European generated around 190 kilograms of packaging waste in 2021, a figure projected to rise to 209 kilograms by 2030 without additional interventions.
