The bioeconomy is a cornerstone of Europe's transition to a sustainable, circular economy. It encompasses innovative sectors that span agriculture, fisheries, forestry, and biobased industries. However, deploying its full potential requires addressing complex governance and policy challenges, as highlighted in the newly published ShapingBio report Policy and Governance. In this report, three in-depth analyses with nine case studies were conducted to gain a deeper understanding of bioeconomy governance and bioeconomy policy coordination in six EU member states. The aim was to identify good practice and to contribute to draft recommendations on how policy making in this complex environment could be improved.
The Cross-Sectoral Nature of Bioeconomy
A key challenge in advancing the bioeconomy lies in its cross-sectoral nature, which demands collaboration across diverse policy domains. Effective governance requires harmonised strategies that integrate economic, environmental, and social goals as well as policies at national and regional levels. Success hinges on aligning stakeholders with divergent priorities, fostering collaboration across governmental tiers, and crafting coherent regulatory frameworks.
The ShapingBio report points to three essential approaches to improve governance:
- National Policy Coordination: Germany, Italy, and Estonia offer lessons in how bioeconomy policy coordination between national ministries and stakeholders works in practice in the EU member states, and which role formally established coordination bodies play. Coordination by dialogue and interactive negotiation rather than unidirectional consultation as well as a prevailing mindset to find pragmatic solutions and compromises were identified as good practice.
- Emerging Sector Development: The growth of innovative sectors like sustainable aquaculture exemplifies the need for tailored regulatory and administrative environments. The highly different aquaculture governance structures for policy, regulatory and administrative issues in Germany, Ireland and Denmark were analysed. By anticipating hurdles already early in the innovation process and by addressing fragmented governance, providing clear administrative pathways, and reducing bureaucratic burdens, countries can support innovation and scale emerging bio-based industries.
- Regional Engagement: Regions are crucial for realising bioeconomy benefits. Case studies from Bavaria (Germany), Ireland's Southern Region, and Central Macedonia (Greece) show that regional actors can effectively drive innovation by aligning strategies with local strengths and by fostering synergistic actions across policy and regulation, collaboration, finance, and community engagement.
By analysing these diverse contexts, the study identifies good practices and proposes draft recommendations to improve policymaking in this dynamic and complex environment.
A Call to Action
To ensure the bioeconomy delivers on its transformative potential, the report offers actionable insights:
- Governments should establish inclusive coordination mechanisms and coherent regulatory frameworks to support innovative bio-based sectors.
- Regions should prioritise collaboration, build industrial clusters, and engage communities in crafting region-specific visions.
- Industry and Civil Society must actively participate in policy dialogues to ensure strategies reflect diverse perspectives and practical realities.
Explore the Full Report
If you are curious to learn more, you can dive into the full report, which offers deeper insights into bioeconomy governance, featuring detailed case studies and practical recommendations.
