Wagralim
Agri-food innovation cluster of wallonia.
ID: 633114698891-80
Lobbying Activity
Response to EU’s next long-term budget (MFF) – EU funding for competitiveness
10 Nov 2025
We want to share 2 major points: (1) The importance of explicitly mentioning clusters in the general MFF, to secure their long-term role in delivering EU competitiveness, innovation, and regional cohesion objectives: Clusters must be clearly mentioned in the general MFF as permanent structures and not temporary programmes to deliver on competitiveness, innovation, and cohesion. Clusters already implement the EUs industrial and regional objectives efficiently, linking SMEs with financing, research, and market access. Embedding them in the MFF ensures policy continuity and stable resources, allowing the EU to capitalise on their proven impact: (i) Simplifying SME access through a one front door approach; (ii) Accelerating innovation by connecting frontrunners and suppliers and; (iii) Reinforcing regional balance through networks that cover all EU territories. Clusters are proven vehicles for achieving Europes strategic goals: boosting agility, innovation, competitiveness and strategic autonomy. Explicitly referencing clusters in the MFF would guarantee their recognition as strategic delivery vehicles for EU industrial and competitiveness policies, aligning with DG GROWs aim of a cohesive, innovative, and resilient Europe. The draft ECF establishes an EU for Business Network to strengthen the competitiveness and innovation capacity of EU companies. Clusters should be explicitly recognised as structural pillar of this Network, building on their existing experience rather than creating a new system from scratch. As industry-led cooperation platforms, they already deliver the mix of services foreseen under Article 28 of the ECF, combining proximity to SMEs, cross-border collaboration, and strong innovation capacity. (2) The need for an explicit recognition of the food processing industry as a strategic sector in the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF 20282034) and FP10. We call for a dedicated FOOD section in the next EU funding frameworks. If food processing continues to be grouped under broad categories such as bioeconomy or biotechnology, Europe risks undermining its food sovereignty, industrial resilience, and employment base. The absence of clear recognition translates into the absence of dedicated funding. It is therefore essential to establish a specific FOOD PROCESSING section within FP10, ensuring the continuity of investments in sustainable food systems, nutrition, and circularity. In parallel, explicit food-related budget lines must be maintained in national and regional partnership plans to support innovation, competitiveness, and the green transition of Europes food industry. Food processing is one of Europes largest manufacturing sectors, generating 1.2 trillion in turnover and employing around 4.7 million people. It offers opportunities across all skill levels -low, medium, and high-, with low- and medium-skilled workers representing the majority of the EU workforce. It drives exports (80 billion trade surplus), fosters innovation (AI, robotics, fermentation, circular models), and supports inclusive regional employment. The sector is also critical for decarbonisation, digitalisation, and public health, contributing directly to EU strategies on sustainability and nutrition. However, the current MFF/FP10 drafts fail to treat food processing as a distinct priority, despite its central role in the bioeconomy (representing 60 % of it) and its exposure to global disruptions. The sectors is facing investment gap, low margins, and energy intensity that without targeted public R&I, competitiveness will erode.
Read full responseResponse to European Innovation Act
16 Sept 2025
Wallonia is making significant efforts to redevelop its economy and increase its employment rate across the entire population, in a context marked by ecological transition and sudden geopolitical upheavals. Strategic analyses show that the food system is a cornerstone of Wallonias economy. Closely connected with other European partners, it holds strong reindustrialization potential, supported by a large number of direct and indirect jobs. Beyond its economic dimension, this sector is strategic because it ensures food sovereignty, one of the pillars of European integration. Although indispensable, the sector also has a major impact on greenhouse gas emissions, land use, pollutant production, and biodiversity loss. Innovation is therefore essential to fully embed the sector into resilience and transition, acknowledging that these ambitions require competitive production to facilitate the adoption of virtuous practices. Affordable and healthy food and nutrition are also the foundation of a healthy European population. The food ecosystem is undergoing profound reinvention, and this transition must be a European priority. Innovation is the driving force, particularly in the fields of health and the environment. To achieve this, efforts must be directed, among others, towards decarbonization, digitalization, adaptation of agricultural and industrial sectors, agri-food biotechnologies, and especially the development of biosolutions. More broadly, there is an urgent need to rethink the entire system to ensure greater sustainability.
Read full responseResponse to Towards a Circular, Regenerative and Competitive Bioeconomy
19 Jun 2025
It is essential to support agronomic research and innovation, both to drive the bioeconomy transition and to urgently build a resilient primary production system at the European level. The use of bio-based raw materials in food production (packaging, biosolutions for crops protection, ...) should be prioritised and ensured that side-streams are valorised as often as possible, because food industry is a key player in the transition. Maintaining a resilient food system is vital to safeguard Europes strategic autonomy. Innovation whether technological or systemic must be approached holistically, taking into account not only primary production, but also artisanal or industrial processing, and the distribution of products. Such an integrated perspective is essential to ensure the coherence, sustainability, and competitiveness of bioeconomy value chains. To support the development of a robust and competitive bioeconomy, the European Union must address regulatory fragmentation and complexity, which are significant barriers for innovators especially SMEs. Harmonised standards across the EU: establish EU-wide harmonisation of bioeconomy-related regulations, such as waste classification and certification of bio-based products. This will help reduce market fragmentation and lighten the administrative burden for small and medium-sized enterprises. Simplified and predictable regulatory pathways: overly complex procedures create delays and uncertainty, particularly in the development of new products such as biosolutions and biotech innovations in the food system. SMEs and other actors frequently cite this as a major obstacle to competitiveness and the deployment of sustainable solutions. Streamlining regulatory frameworks is essential to accelerate innovation and facilitate the emergence of a resilient and circular bioeconomy. Implement fast-track and simplified permitting processes for bioeconomy pilot projects, demonstration platforms, and scale-up facilities to speed up the transition from innovation to market. Prioritise R&D funding for agri-food innovations (Ag-tech & Food-tech) under Horizon Europe and future FP10 and align with the upcoming "Start-up and Scale-up Strategy". Create dedicated public-private joint undertaking initiative. Launch targeted training programs to equip farmers and end users with expertise in circular bioeconomy practices and digital tools. (e.g., farmers on integrating bio-based production systems; food technicians on novel biomass processing methods; chefs and food developers on upcycled ingredients). Strengthening the agri-food innovation clusters role in facilitating innovation, competitiveness and connection between farmers, food processors, research centers, government, competence centers and startups. Promote sustainability within a decentralised bioeconomy by strengthening local and regional value chains. Cascading principle for biomass use: it is essential to establish and enforce a clear hierarchy in the use of biological resources, giving priority to food & feed production, followed by high-value applications (such as biomaterials or bio-based molecules), and only then to lower-value uses such as bioenergy. This cascading use principle must be supported by targeted incentives to promote the upcycling of agri-food by-products, encouraging their integration into circular and low-impact value chains. Ensuring sustainable and long-term biomass production: the development of the bioeconomy must be firmly anchored in strict sustainability criteria, including: a ban on deforestation, the preservation of soil health and fertility, effective action against soil erosion on arable land, and sustainable water management, ensuring both quantity and quality for future generations. A fundamental condition for any bioeconomy strategy is the preservation of non-artificialised land. (more in the attached document)
Read full responseMeeting with Ilaria Flores Martin (Cabinet of Commissioner Jessika Roswall) and Fundación Corporación Tecnológica de Andalucía and
13 Jun 2025 · Bioeconomy
Response to Biotech Act
4 Jun 2025
- ne pas oublier le secteur de l'industrie alimentaire qui utilise aussi les biotech alimentaires. Il y a un réel potentiel en Europe. - soutenir le scaling up est essentiel pour être compétitif - connecter les écosystèmes pour faciliter le partage des infrastructures (par exemple) - soutenir les innovations dans les PME et pas uniquement dans les start ups. - éviter que les entreprises fuient avec leur savoir-faire et les retombées économiques. Aujourd'hui, l'Union européenne n'offre pas de terrain fertile pour garder ses innovations. Nous sommes en contact avec plus de 300 entreprises et toutes nous disent qu'elles ont l'idée en Europe mais le développement et la mise sur le marché se fait à l'étranger, surtout les USA. Et que les barrières douanières des USA ne sont pas un frein. Ainsi si l'Europe veut jouer un rôle (et nous ne sommes absolument pas leader dans ce secteur), alors il faut financer, faciliter et accélérer les procédures d'acceptation notamment de l'EFSA pour l'industrie agroalimentaire. - le partenariat public-privé est la seule réponse à ce challenge. Les grandes entreprises doivent soutenir le développement des innovations et l'Union européenne doit favoriser le marché en réduisant les barrières. Cela ne passe pas que par des 'Biotech Act' 'Bioeconomy Act', mais par de réelles réflexions stratégiques traduites en actions concrètes pour les PME et non pas que pour les start ups et les grandes entreprises.
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