The European biotech industry has welcomed a European Union initiative aimed at boosting leading European industrial sectors. EuropaBio, the European biotech association, said it is a valuable support for bio-based products such as enzymes, biochemicals such as bio-based building-blocks, and bioplastics. The EU plan is to stimulate demand for those products, and so encourage innovation.

Over the last two years, the biotech industry has been arguing that biotechnology's industrial potential could be realized only if there was political support.

"This initiative is the first step in the process of active political support and incentives that will help Europe reap the full benefits of the knowledge-based bioeconomy," said Ian Hudson, president of DuPont Europe for Middle East and Africa, who chairs EuropaBio's industrial biotech council.

"Encouraging public procurement for bio-based products, stimulating the demand via standards, developing an information and communication campaign explaining the benefits of these products, and looking for specific financial support for the establishment of biorefinery pilot and demonstration plants will certainly stimulate the development, production and uptake of bio-based products in Europe," he said.