Paper Province
Kluster och organisation för skoglig bioekonomi
ID: 586771796427-49
Lobbying Activity
Response to Towards a Circular, Regenerative and Competitive Bioeconomy
23 Jun 2025
Feedback to the European Commission: Towards a Circular, Regenerative and Competitive Bioeconomy. Paper Province welcomes the European Commissions initiative to revise the EU Bioeconomy Strategy. Paper Province supports the ambition to build a circular, regenerative and competitive bioeconomy that strengthens the EUs industry, while contributing to climate neutrality, reducing dependence on fossil resources, consider biodiversity and sustainable growth. Paper Province is a forest bioeconomy cluster, based in Värmland in Sweden, gathering and representing large parts of value chain around the forest. The bioeconomy is very important for Värmland almost 20 % of Värmlands total gross regional product (GRP) comes from the bioeconomy. This gives Värmland the highest share of bioeconomy among all Swedish regions. In Värmland, there is a large, internationally leading industry for large-scale forest processing, including mills, machinery manufacturers, chemical companies, and subcontractors. The collaboration between the region, the industry and its support system is central to keep securing a sustainable development. The value of the forest has great potential to grow and be implemented in new innovations. Nevertheless, many of the challenges are common among the ecosystems actors: to find new circular business models and to build know-how regarding how forest-based material can solve the societal challenges. Reaching the full potential of the bioeconomy requires clear policy frameworks and appropriate supporting initiatives throughout the entire biomass value chain. The EU Bioeconomy Strategy must support research and innovation for fossil-free alternatives and maximise value from all parts of the tree across the value chain. Removing barriers to industrial symbiosis and making better use of industrial side streams will also boost resource efficiency, replace fossil-based products and create more resilient societies. The new ISO standard 13391 provides us with a comprehensive framework for measuring climate impacts of forestry and wood products. It links the carbon balance of forests with the products delivered to society, making it possible to better understand how the forest industry contribute to climate solutions. Paper Province want the EU Bioeconomy Strategy to be based on calculations of substitution effects specified in the ISO standard 13391 in order to seriously promote new bio-based products that replace fossil raw materials. In order for the bioeconomy to become the norm in EU rather than the exception, not only incentives for sustainable solutions are required. Clear limits and restrictions on fossil raw materials are also required. It is therefore important that the updated bioeconomy strategy addresses issues of stricter sanctions against choosing fossil alternatives when bio-based choices are available. In this way, the EU can build a robust and future-proof bioeconomy that benefits the climate, industry and society at large. The EU aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 and reach climate neutrality by 2050. Achieving these goals requires a green transition across all sectors, with changes in production and consumption patterns. A sustainable, circular bioeconomy can play a key role through innovation and smart practices. This depends on using wood as a renewable raw material, which in turn requires active, sustainable forest management. Bioeconomy, circular economy, climate policies, and forestry regulations must be coordinated. Otherwise, Europe risks missing out on vital industrial contributions.
Read full responseMeeting with Jessika Roswall (Commissioner) and
14 Mar 2025 · Bioeconomy Strategy