The Council of the EU has adopted today the regulation establishing Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU), the successor of BBI JU. The €2 billion partnership between the European Union and the Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC) will build on the success of BBI JU to advance competitive circular bio-based industries in Europe. CBE JU will enter into force at the end of November and will take over all the activities of BBI JU.

Circular Bio-based Europe is one of the nine European Partnerships established by the Council regulation today.

‘Joint Undertakings will enable that tens of billions of euros will be invested jointly by public and private actors, on EU and national levels. This is a clear demonstration of the power of working together and the best guarantee for the EU’s scientific and technological leadership’, said Simona Kustec, Minister for Education, Science and Sport who led the work for the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU on this file.

Read the full statement of the Council of the European Union.

‘A circular and sustainable bioeconomy is essential to reach the ambitious goals of the EU Green Deal, to make our societies prosperous, and to protect the environment while ensuring rural and coastal innovation. This new partnership will demonstrate the potential of the bio-based industry to green the EU’s industrial production and contribute to the recovery of our economy in a sustainable and inclusive way. Full complementarity and synergies between Horizon Europe programming and the CBE JU will be ensured to fulfil these goals. The CBE JU will also cover education and skills, and will involve a wider range of stakeholders including the primary producers, and will give an increased role to Member States, by focussing on the regional aspects’, said John Bell, Director for Healthy Planet at the European Commission’s Research and Innovation Directorate-General.

Read the full statement of the European Commission.

‘United with our European Commission partners, BIC remains committed to building on the successes of the BBI partnership and contributing to the EU’s transformation into an innovative, sustainable and competitive society’, said Mat Quaedvlieg, BIC Chairman and VP Strategic Business Projects, SAPPI.

Read the full statement of BIC.

‘Today marks an important milestone for the European bioeconomy and a greener future for Europe. CBE JU will continue to strengthen the crucial work of BBI JU while addressing the remaining challenges of the sector. We have been waiting together with our community for this important step, and together with my colleagues, we are ready to take up the new challenge’, commented BBI JU Executive Director Philippe Mengal.

What will CBE JU do?

Bio-based industries are a key enabler of the green transition towards a resilient and environmentally sustainable EU economy. CBE JU will fund projects that are building strong, resource-efficient and competitive bio-based industries in Europe by combining financial support of Horizon Europe, the EU’s research and innovation programme, and contributions from the private sector.

More information about the role and objectives of CBE JU.

What are the next steps?

CBE JU will enter into force on the day when the Council regulation is published in the Official Journal of the European Union, currently expected on 30 November 2021. The CBE JU Programme Office will also be established on this day.

The CBE JU’s founding partners - the European Commission, on behalf of the European Union, and the Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC) - will then nominate members to the Governing Board, and the Board will convene for the first time by mid-December.

In the first and second quarter of 2022, two CBE JU’s advisory bodies - the States’ Representatives Group and the Scientific Committee - will be established, and the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) adopted.

Based on the SRIA, a consultation on the first CBE JU Work Programme will start, and the Governing Board will adopt the programme in the second quarter of 2022. The first CBE JU’s call for project proposals will then open.

See the indicative timeline of CBE JU operations and read more about the CBE JU governance.

The European Parliament voted today in favour of Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU), the successor of BBI JU, by adopting a legislative proposal on the establishment of joint undertakings for the 2021-2027 period. The Council of the EU is expected to adopt the proposal by the end of November, leading to the launch of CBE JU before the end of the year.

‘After today's vote the Parliament is making sure that joint undertakings have their set of rules in place, in line with Horizon Europe, with greater openness and transparency and fit for supporting our policy objectives. Now the Commission is expected to facilitate a rapid and straightforward implementation, ensuring not only that the joint undertakings are properly funded – if necessary taking into account de-commitments, fines and Next Generation EU funds – but also that they can set up their advisory structures swiftly, preparing the ground for the new strategic agendas and publishing the first calls for proposals as soon as possible’, said Maria da Graça Carvalho, Member of the European Parliament who was coordinating the work on this file.

‘This is a crucial step in the launch of the CBE JU,’ said Philippe Mengal, the Executive Director of BBI JU. ‘Our community is ready to take the success of BBI JU to the next level, and the new €2 billion partnership between the European Union and industry will enable it. Bio-based industries are considered to be a key enabler of the green transition towards a resilient and environmentally sustainable EU economy and one of the main objectives of the CBE JU will be investing in research & innovation across scientific disciples that support bioeconomy and stimulate its uptake by industry. The priority over the coming months will be to ensure a stable transition to the new partnership and setting the strategic agenda. Many thanks to Ms Carvalho and her colleagues for bringing this important regulation to fruition.’

The new partnership between the EU, represented by the European Commission, and the Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC) will build on the successes of the BBI JU while stepping up its contribution to the EU’s climate targets, in line with the European Green Deal. It will continue fostering collaboration between the scientific community and industry, to scale up technologies leading to industrial deployment, and to de-risk investments, thus attracting funding and creating jobs across European regions.

Read more about the objectives and operations of CBE JU.

What are the next steps?

The Council of the EU is now expected to adopt the regulation in the second part of November, leading to the launch of CBE JU and establishment of its Programme Office before the end of 2021.

After the entry into force CBE JU will focus on establishing its Governing Board, while the EU Member States will nominate members of the States Representatives Group, one of CBE JU’s advisory body.

One of the first tasks of the Governing Board will be to adopt CBE JU’s Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA), which will set the priorities of the partnership for the coming years.

CBE JU’s second advisory body, the Scientific Committee will then be established following a public call for expression of interest published in the Official Journal. The new Scientific Committee members will be then selected based on the criteria set by the Governing Board.

Both advisory bodies will be consulted on the first CBE JU’s work programme, ahead of its adoption by the Governing Board.

After the adoption of the work programme, the CBE JU’s Programme Office will launch the first call for project proposals and organise its evaluation.

BBI JU awarded the Bioeconomy Prize in the European Union Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS) last Sunday, 19 September in Salamanca, Spain. Alba Serrano Garcia and Patricia Marco Gaya, students from the ‘Colegio Santa Maria’ in Vila-Real, Spain, received the prize for their project on fossils' resistance to climate change. The two winners will travel to Brussels for a visit to the European institutions and projects funded by BBI JU.

Alba Serrano Garcia and Patricia Marco Gaya studied the Triops cancriformis eggs and their resistance to high temperatures. The young scientists examined the fossils’ structure to explain why it resisted extreme climate conditions and kept its appearance intact for over 200 million years.

Their project aims to analyse the chemical composition of the fossils and they used two different methods, thermal analysis up to 1000°C and the microscope electron scanning of the fossil; both experiments were successfully conducted. The young biologists propose to use the fossils’ shell composition material as a new material to enable resistance to climate change for current products.  

Following the ceremony, the BBI JU’s Head of Programme, Virginia Puzzolo, congratulated the winners: ‘With your project, you are helping the whole European bio-based industries community to advance towards a truly circular bio-based society. What we want to leave to the young generations is a thriving and green Europe and your innovative project brings a great contribution to achieving this.Thank you for building a better and more sustainable future with us.’ 

The European Union Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS) celebrated Europe’s most talented young scientists last Sunday at the University of Salamanca.  

About 158 contestants and 114 projects competed for a range of prizes selected by a jury panel of 25 renowned engineers and scientists. Among the many categories of EUCYS, a Bioeconomy Prize is given to the most promising project in the field of bio-based research. Since 2016 the BBI JU has awarded this prize to young scientists designing the most relevant biotechnology for the production and the conversion of biomass into non-food value-added products.

The awarded project shall use raw materials of biological origin in a sustainable, renewable, and innovative way, whilst also promoting scientific research and raising environmental awareness. The winners will visit the BBI JU Programme Office and EU institutions in Brussels, as well as some of the BBI JU-funded projects.  

The next EUCYS contest will take place in Leiden, Netherlands, in 2022.  

Read more about the EUCYS 2021 Bioeconomy Prize 

BBI JU EUCYS 2019 Prize  

BBI JU EUCYS 2018 Prize  

The new country infographics present the impacts of BBI JU-funded projects in key figures and highlight how the programme has advanced the circular bio-based economy throughout Europe.

By bringing together data since the creation of BBI JU in 2014, the infographics illustrate how BBI JU-funded projects have contributed to the progress of the bio-based industries in several EU and associated countries involved in the programme. They include key data on BBI JU beneficiaries, projects, and applications for BBI JU funding, thus showing the relevance of the initiative for each country’s bioeconomy.

'Through the infographics we clearly see that the 1,055 beneficiaries involved in BBI JU projects, with their specific expertise and know-how, significantly contribute to the development of the circular bio-based economy in their country,' said BBI JU Executive Director Philippe Mengal at the launch of the infographics. 'With their relentless work, these organisations shape not only the bioeconomy in their region, but they also contribute to the objectives of the EU Green Deal and advance the whole European bioeconomy.'

Fabio Fava, the Chairman of the BBI JU States Representatives Group, also welcomed the new infographics:

'The new country infographics highlight that in only seven years, the BBI JU programme, with the support of the European Commission, BIC, and the colleagues of the States Representatives Group, has profoundly contributed to shaping the European bioeconomy as well as national and regional economies across the continent. Figures show the high impacts of BBI JU projects, which extensively mobilised SMEs, large industries, universities, and research centres in 39 countries, thus bringing sustainable bio-based innovations into the market while boosting local economies and the regeneration of rural, coastal, and marginal areas. Thanks to the BBI JU achievements, Europe is now amongst the world bioeconomy leaders.'

Check the country infographics 

A new independent study conducted by the Danish Technology Institute and the Food& Bio Cluster Denmark confirms the results of BBI JU-funded projects. The study validates the monitoring system based on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) corresponding to BBI JU’s strategic objectives. It also assesses and validates the results and impacts of the BBI JU project portfolio. 

A broad projects portfolio meeting their goals

The study’s independent expert team has evaluated the results of 50 projects, corresponding to more than one third of the whole BBI JU-funded project portfolio. The report particularly underlines the technical results and the environmental impacts of these projects. In particular, DEMO and FLAG-projects are successfully developing innovative processes and new bio-based products which hold vast commercial potential. The results show their gains in energy-efficiency, as well as their positive impacts on health and on the environment. Lastly, the assessment concludes that the developed products can replace fossil-based products.

The study also explains the different stages for KPI validation. Based on empirical evidence, the experts have used a validation methodology to verify the KPIs reported by projects that have ended by July 2020. The results of this validation confirm the reported achievements. The study also found that most BBI JU-funded projects reached their objectives.

Developing advanced technology for biomass conversion

Throughout their implementation, the BBI JU projects have developed an advanced use of biomass. The study confirms a better use of feedstock residues from the agro-food sector and agriculture. Projects have developed technologies for extraction from raw materials with environmental benefits. The study also notes a better extraction of value-added compounds from biomass and improved processing of biomass that converts pre-treated feedstocks into bio-based chemicals.

In the frontline for positive environmental impacts

The BBI JU-funded projects are helping to preserve the environment in many ways: they have developed processes and products that alleviate the pressure on natural resources and enable the exploitation of waste and by-products. Moreover, the BBI JU projects are proposing new approaches to farming such as developing the potential of marginal lands. All in all, the projects contribute to saving energy, using sustainable biological resources and reducing water consumption. Most significantly, many projects are paving the way for decreasing CO₂ and greenhouse gas emissions across Europe.

BBI JU-funded projects, a booster for sustainability in Europe and beyond

What are the expected socio-economic impacts?

BBI JU projects involve many international and European partners with different competences within the bio-based sector, such as primary producers (agricultural, forestry, aquatic, etc.), biochemical industries, technology providers and end-users.

By triggering investments and creating jobs, these projects bring a socio-economic contribute to regions. The study also reveals that all projects create knowledge and improve the collaboration between universities and companies, thus paving the way for new insights and partnerships.

Most importantly, the study emphasises the creation of new value chains that contribute to supplying sustainable biomass feedstock to the existing value chains. This framework provides effective answers to the market demands.

Overall, the projects’ outcomes promote competitiveness, investments and jobs in Europe. In this study, the experts analyse the societal impact of the different types of projects. Research and innovation actions, as well as demonstration actions boost competitiveness through specific measures, such as optimisation of the production processes. Flagship projects are also helping industries to de-risk investments, as well as gain the competitiveness and effectiveness by bringing products to the commercial stage and thus keeping investments in Europe.

Contribution to EU policies

Similarly, the researchers found that the projects contribute differently to EU policies according to their type of actions. Whilst demonstration actions bring new bio-based products close to market, research and innovation actions are providing knowledge, and the coordination and support actions impact the bio-based community by proposing new infrastructures for equipment and knowledge sharing. On the other hand, the flagship projects scale up and deploy technologies creating new value chains for industrial applications and bio-based consumer products.

Read the study’s executive summary 

The European Commission has today adopted the proposal (known as the Single Basic Act) establishing the successor partnership to BBI - Circular bio-based Europe (CBE) - and other joint undertakings. The European Parliament and Council will now study the proposal before it can be legally adopted.  

“This is an important step towards a new partnership developing a competitive, innovative and sustainable bio-based industry in Europe. This is a joint effort and BIC will continue to work constructively with our partners to ensure the realisation of an ambitious partnership with the EU. CBE will help Europe achieve its Green Deal and climate neutrality objectives”, says Dirk Carrez, BIC Executive Director.

BIC’s members span full bio-based value chains from feedstock through market applications and products’ end of life, and are united in its mission: to connect industry, academia, regions and citizens to transform bio-based feedstocks into novel sustainable products and applications, and to create circular bioeconomy ecosystems through investments, innovation and know-how.

Press release from European Commission

BBI JU - Commission gives green light to the successor of BBI JU