European biotechnology proposes improvements to the European Biotechnology and Bio-manufacturing Initiative

Last October, the European Commission (EC) presented the Work Program for 2024, which includes 15 new proposals under the six pillars of the European Commission's work for 2024.

One of these pillars focuses on "An Economy at the Service of People". Within this pillar, the EU's European biotechnology and biomanufacturing initiative will be presented on March 20. Its purpose is to exploit technological advantages as key points for the competitiveness and modernization of EU industry due to its high potential for growth and labor productivity.

Among the 15 new proposals in the European Commission's recently published Work Program for the coming year, biotechnology stands out. The document states that: "A forthcoming initiative will help to realize the full benefits of biotechnologies and biomanufacturing, key elements for the competitiveness and modernization of EU industry due to their high growth potential and labor productivity".

This initiative is a great opportunity for the EU to adopt urgent and immediate measures to expand the biotechnology and bio-manufacturing sector in the EU accompanied by a favorable regulatory environment, which encourages investment in R&D and attracts incentives that facilitate and promote its development.

In response to this, EuropaBio, of which AseBio is a member, has begun to work and identify specific key requests to achieve a competitive European industrial biotechnology sector that offers sustainable innovative solutions. In addition, 5 basic principles that should support this approach are proposed.

Key requests:

Need for harmonized national and EU frameworks to enable biotechnology 2;

2. Address regulatory barriers to accelerate market access and improve global competitiveness; 3;

3. Improve access to raw materials and recognition of sustainability; 4;

4. Support infrastructure expansion and improve access to skills.

Basic principles

1. Recognize the social and economic benefits of biotechnology and biomanufacturing, with a predictable and coherent policy framework along value chains that enables growth and transformation in all sectors.

2. Ensure competitive market access for biotech products and bioprocesses in Europe and enable European companies to be active contributors in globally resilient supply chains, with the informed trust of citizens, including clear regulatory pathways for innovative breakthroughs.

3. Unlock the full potential of the European Single Market for biotechnology and bioprocess processes, including people, goods, services and capital.

4. Create investment frameworks for biotechnology and biomanufacturing, including access to venture capital within Europe, to facilitate multi-scale production facilities and biorefineries and achieve pan-European capacity.

5. Apply Innovation Principles within R&D priorities for biotechnology (including digital advances and AI), improve intellectual property protection and develop skills to accelerate industrial transition and production through innovation.

AseBio supports this initiative and will continue to work hand in hand with EuropaBio to convey the needs of Spanish biotech companies to be considered by the EC in the EU's European biotechnology and biomanufacturing initiative.