Flanders'FOOD
FF
Flanders’ FOOD is the innovation platform for the Flemish agri-food industry.
ID: 560938497811-84
Lobbying Activity
Response to Towards a Circular, Regenerative and Competitive Bioeconomy
23 Jun 2025
THE ROLE OF CLUSTERS WITH A FOCUS ON BIOTECH IN FOOD Europe has to seize the opportunity to lead advances along the whole innovation and commercialisation pipeline in agri-food biotechnology as a Key Enabling Technology for boosting a sustainable, circular bioeconomy at large. The focus should be on building actual competitive advantage and strategic autonomy in food and feed production for Europe through agri-food biotechnology. As systemic intermediaries, clusters play a pivotal role in that endeavour. As systemic intermediaries, clusters play a pivotal role in that endeavour in following aspects: Clusters work on the connection between food industry and biotech companies, and support companies to go for 1st deployment, work out economical viable processes and keep a steady focus on products development. Clusters can bring together the stakeholders required to overcome technical barriers as well as systemic, non-technological valorisation hurdles, such as stakeholders in the regulatory, financial, logistics, public acceptance domain. BIOTECH IN THE FOOD VALUE CHAIN FROM FARM TO FORK: PRODUCING INGREDIENTS FOR TASTE AND FUNCTIONALITY In the food & feed value chain it is essential to start with green raw materials (not fossil), even when some additives (flavours) are still produced chemically. In the food processing industry in Western-Europe its an asset to claim natural and bio-based ingredients and clean label products that contain less unnatural additives. Biotechnology offers great opportunities to answer these market demands. Biotechnology solutions will help to establish resilient European food value chains independent from other regions in order to produce with more autonomy food, feed & drinks in Europe, with circular resources that are available in Europe (direct or indirect): grown in Europe, reuse of biomass from side streams, waste streams or biomass with low value. FUNDING AND FINANCING 1ST DEPLOYMENTS Current funding schemes are still very much geared towards stimulating lab research and outputs in the form of publications and patents. While this remains important, Europe will have to address the critical gap of realising economic scalability within the bioeconomy at large and food biotech in specific, if it wants to increase productivity, competitiveness and strategic autonomy in the field of the bioeconomy. This implies funding 1st deployments so as the assess and improve the cost/benefit ratio for the application of food biotechnology solutions by the food processing industry. More support in higher TRL developments according to normal state aid funding schemes are desirable. STIMULATING OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE IN FOOD BIOTECH PRODUCTION INFRASTRUCTURES The food biotech industry is not yet at the same level of operational excellence as the traditional food processing & chemical industry. What could considerably accelerate the food biotech industry is adopting best practices in terms of operational excellence from the food processing and chemical industry. Hence, the introduction of industry 4.0 in food biotech companies is critical. Concurrently and more specifically, projects are needed to optimise energy & water consumption and have better control on waste streams of fermentation processes. IMPROVE LEGISLATION AND LOWER NOVEL FOOD BARRIERS An enabling EU legislation is crucial to the commercial success of novel foods in the EU. Harmonised regulatory frameworks facilitate uniform compliance. Distinct national regulations can complicate market entry and create competitive (dis)advantages among regions. Some regions in Europe lack the regulatory expertise needed to navigate EU compliance processes. Capacity-building initiatives, including training and resources for local regulators, can enable these regions to participate effectively in the biotech landscape. This heavily depends on shared advocacy efforts, supported by dedicated biotechnology associations.
Read full responseMeeting with Ilaria Flores Martin (Cabinet of Commissioner Jessika Roswall) and Fundación Corporación Tecnológica de Andalucía and
13 Jun 2025 · Bioeconomy