“Currently, there are policy frameworks for food, feed and bioenergy, but not for bio-based chemicals and derived materials. This gap puts the bio-based chemicals and derived materials sector at a disadvantage, and has also an impact on investments in Europe.”. Dirk Carrez, executive director of BIC (Biobased Industries Consortium) talks to Il Bioeconomista.
Interview by Mario Bonaccorso
“We need to grow the bio-based sector. Especially, if you look at the challenges the world is facing. That means, not just research and innovation, but actually scaling-up the production of our new bio-based products and processes in Europe. For that, we need more investment in new biorefineries in Europe.” Dirk Carrez, CEO of BIC (Biobased Industries Consortium), a non-profit organisation set up in Brussels in 2013 to represent the private sector in a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) with the European Commission, talks to Il Bioeconomista about present and future of the European bioeconomy.
Interview by Mario Bonaccorso
For the first time, BIC has published a Trend Report on how Europe can unleash the full potential of the bioeconomy, enabling it to better contribute to the EU’s green transition. In 2012, the world admired Europe as a global frontrunner for launching its EU bioeconomy strategy. Today, the world and Europe look to other regions that are bolder in making the bioeconomy a strategic industry sector. In particular, the US with its recently-launched initiatives, but also China, India and the G20.
“The Bio-based industry grows really strong in confidence. In just a few years, it moved mountains by creating new value chains. This means new partnerships between sectors that never worked together before”. Dirk Carrez, executive director of BIC, which represents the private sector in a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) with the European Commission, also known as the Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking (BBI JU), talks to Il Bioeconomista. In this long interview with us he talks about the main achievements of the bio-based industry in Europe and its new vision 2050. “Only with a renewed BBI JU will we be able to effectively work towards realising the Circular Bio-Society”, he says.
Interview by Mario Bonaccorso
IL BIOECONOMISTA 