I-Tech AB
I-Tech är ett biotech-bolag som har utvecklat och säljer produkten Selektope®, en ingrediensteknologi som motverkar marin påväxt av havstulpaner på fartyg- och båtskrov.
ID: 887251998922-15
Lobbying Activity
Response to Food and Feed Safety Simplification Omnibus
13 Oct 2025
Based on I-Tech´s experience, we have identified several structural limitations within the current BPR framework that hinder the timely placement of products on the EU market and, paradoxically, may reduce overall safety and environmental protection, with potential negative impacts on food safety and on the very same objectives that the BPR is meant to promote. The approval process as a market-entry barrier for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs): The current approval process presents significant challenges for SMEs such as high costs of dossier preparation and testing, long timelines for evaluation and decision-making, and limited transparency and predictability in outcomes. These barriers discourage innovation in the biocides sector, leading to a decline in the availability of novel, more sustainable solutions and potentially increasing dependence on older legacy biocides. To address these issues, I-Tech proposes the following measures: New guidelines or data requirements for active substances or biocidal products should not be retroactive, i.e. should not apply to a dossier which has been formally submitted before their publication. Products containing new active substances should be granted temporary market access if the evaluation process exceeds the legal timelines established under the BPR. Lack of harmonisation under the BPR leads to delays and inconsistencies in the approval process: The BPR was established to create a harmonised and regulatory framework across the EU, ensuring consistent safety standards for biocidal products. However, in the case of antifouling products, this objective has not been achieved. Divergent interpretations and implementations of the BPR among Member States have resulted in a fragmented regulatory landscape. Consequently, the authorisation process for antifouling products has faced significant delays and inconsistencies, with some product dossiers remaining under review for more than seven years without a final decision. Such prolonged procedures undermine both regulatory predictability and the competitiveness of the European biocides sector. I-Tech therefore urges the European Commission to ensure that the evaluation and authorisation of antifouling products are fully harmonised across Member States. Achieving consistent and timely decisions is essential to support innovation, market predictability, and fair competition within the EU. This will be crucial to ensure a harmonised level of food safety across Member States. Assessment of antifouling substances should consider elements on food safety (invasive alien species): Antifouling biocides play a vital role in safeguarding food safety and marine sustainability. By preventing the accumulation of biofouling organisms on ships and marine structures, these substances help limit the spread of invasive aquatic species that can disrupt aquaculture and fisheries, introduce pathogens harmful to seafood safety, and destabilize ecosystems that support commercially harvested species. Without effective antifouling solutions, the risk of biological contamination and food chain disruption would increase significantly, undermining both environmental protection and the resilience of the blue economy. As such, we call for a more holistic and balanced assessment framework for antifouling substances, one that evaluates not only their potential risks, but also the tangible benefits these biocidal technologies deliver in terms of food safety, environmental protection, and economic sustainability. To achieve this balance, the evaluation of stakeholder input should be made a mandatory component of the Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) conducted by evaluating Competent Authorities (eCAs). Engaging relevant stakeholders, particularly downstream users, industry operators, and other end users, would ensure that regulatory decisions are grounded in practical knowledge of product use and real-world operational challenges.
Read full responseResponse to EU industrial maritime strategy
28 Jul 2025
I-Tech ABs Input to the Call for Evidence for an EU Industrial Maritime Strategy I-Tech AB (I-Tech) is a Swedish biotechnology company specialising in marine antifouling solutions. Biofouling is the accumulation of marine organisms on submerged surfaces like ship hulls, which can significantly increase drag, leading to higher fuel consumption and reduced efficiency of vessels. An independent study commissioned by I-Tech reveals that over 40% of vessels have unacceptable levels of biofouling (see the White Paper annexed to this submission for more information). Biofouling therefore poses a major challenge for the maritime industry, hindering its economic performance and decarbonisation objectives. I-Tech welcomes the European Commissions announcement of an EU Industrial Maritime Strategy, aimed at strengthening the competitiveness, sustainability, innovation and resilience of the European maritime sector. These objectives are in line with those we pursue as the developers of a technology which prevents barnacle attachment on ship hulls and massively reduces water resistance, thus enhancing vessels operational efficiency and lowering their fuel consumption and GHG emissions. To mitigate the impacts of biofouling on the European maritime sector, the upcoming EU Industrial Maritime Strategy should support the availability on the European market of a suitable toolbox of innovative antifouling technologies. This will allow the European maritime sector to: Make progress towards its decarbonisation goals: Case studies show that ships treated with our technology emit 15% less CO2 than ships treated with traditional premium antifouling coatings. As the European maritime sector faces pressure to meet ambitious environmental targets, supporting the uptake of innovative antifouling solutions will help drive progress toward the EU's long-term climate goals. Close the competitiveness gap with Asian competitors: Although in the EU we obtained an approval for our antifouling active substance almost 10 years ago, antifouling coatings based on our technology still fail to land on the EU market due to burdensome authorisation processes. In stark contrast, we have witnessed an incredible market uptake in leading shipbuilding non-EU countries, such as Japan or South Korea, where today we are nearing 50% market penetration. This situation exacerbates the dependency of the European maritime sector on non-EU countries, where ship owners and shipbuilders can rely on more innovative and effective technologies. To establish a supportive regulatory framework that improves access to effective antifouling solutions, it is essential that the EU Industrial Maritime Strategys principles are reflected in relevant legislation, such as the EU Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR), which governs most antifouling solutions. The Strategy should ensure under the BPR a fast-track into the market for innovative antifouling substances, and enable EU-wide authorisations for new antifouling coatings. This will allow the European maritime industry to become resilient to the pressing challenge of biofouling, and therefore more sustainable and more competitive.
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