Strengthening and connecting bioeconomy networks

- A significantly improved understanding and increased awareness of the bioeconomy and its benefits and solutions across Europe, including rural and coastal regions, cities, communities, businesses, citizens and especially young people.
• Better coordination and synthesis of European bioeconomy initiatives and networks (including EU-funded R&I projects) leading to stronger knowledge exchange and higher uptake of bioeconomy actions in business, education and policy, accelerating the EU bioeconomy strategy’s social, economic and environmental sustainability objectives.
• Enhanced networking and cooperation among bioeconomy actors and stakeholders at European, national and regional levels, plus effective outreach and support to international bioeconomy networks, fostering rapid deployment of bioeconomy and biotechnology solutions.
• Increased buy-in and active engagement of all relevant actors and stakeholders—including disadvantaged communities, vulnerable groups, women, youth, NGOs and investors—acting as bioeconomy change-makers across sectors, regions and governance levels.

- Proposals must strengthen a Europe-wide network for knowledge exchange and mutual learning on the transition to a sustainable, circular bioeconomy and its governance, in preparation for the EU bioeconomy strategy review.
• Address key barriers: low public and stakeholder understanding of the bioeconomy concept and benefits; language diversity; limited capacities for engagement; unsuitable collaboration formats; and lack of mutual understanding among stakeholder groups.
• Foster interconnectedness among stakeholders across sectors, regions, disciplines and governance levels to enhance policy coherence and implementation, accelerate relationship building and knowledge transfer, support the deployment of the EU bioeconomy strategy, and scale up place-based solutions in diverse regional contexts.
• Include in the proposal: the design of the platform architecture; mechanisms for international network support; a communication and events roadmap; formats for structured dialogue; a sustainable operating model; partnerships with education institutes; and investor outreach and training plans.