Good afternoon,
It is a pleasure for me to close todays discussions here at the University of Copenhagen, and under the Danish Presidency, which has shown, once again, how Europe can lead with clarity, pragmatism and ambition.
Let me begin by thanking all speakers and participants.
The richness of todays sessions – from youth perspectives to industrial scale-up and sustainable biomass - shows that Europes bioeconomy is not just an abstract concept.
It is an opportunity for growth that touches upon farming, industry, technology, construction, energy and regional development.
Today marks an important moment.
We are beginning the next chapter of Europes Bioeconomy:
A Strategy that is about potential, resilience and competitiveness.
A Strategy that uses Europes own strengths – our forests, our agricultural regions, our scientific excellence and our innovative companies – to reduce dependencies and make us more resilient in a volatile world.
From the start, we knew this Strategy had to be holistic.
The challenges facing Europe – climate change, competitiveness, nature loss, and strategic autonomy – are closely linked.
Our response must be too. This is why the Strategy is built around 4 pillars: innovation & investment, lead markets, sustainable biomass, and global partnerships.
Taken together, these pillars help us scale what works, remove barriers, and make sure that solutions deliver benefits across sectors: from rural communities to advanced manufacturing.
We know that the bioeconomy can only grow on a foundation of sustainable and reliable biomass.
Several sessions today reflected this: we need stable supply, competitive costs, and long-term stewardship of our natural resources.
That means knowing how our biomass is used, improving efficiency, and making better use of residues and by-products.
This is not about restricting producers.
It is about giving them clarity and confidence; ensuring that growth stays within ecological limits so that future generations can have the same opportunities.
A key message from today is that Europe has promising technologies, but we need to create the conditions for these solutions to reach the market faster, and at scale.
Lead markets are central to this.
By focusing first on high-value bio-based products, such as construction materials, textiles, chemicals and packaging, we can deliver immediate results.
We can reduce our footprint, lower import dependencies, and build momentum for a wider, systemic change.
But we need to be honest: none of this can happen without demand!
Public and private sectors both have a role to play in creating predictable demand signals and supporting early movers.
Here, Denmark is leading the way -- from bio-based construction and innovative materials to circular farming and strong regional clusters.
Denmark is also showing how smart, local bioenergy solutions, especially biogas, can support farmers, cut waste and strengthen energy resilience.
We need more of these kinds of examples.
Europe is rich in ideas, but many innovators still struggle to move from lab to fab.
The Strategy addresses this head-on: by improving access to finance, helping SMEs through authorisation bottle-necks, and supporting first-of-a-kind facilities.
Through the European Competitiveness Fund, Horizon Europe, and InvestEU, we will reduce investment risks and accelerate deployment.
And through the Biotech Acts, and the simplification agenda, we will make rules clearer, faster and easier for companies to navigate.
The bioeconomy is not only a European priority; it is a global race.
Over 50 countries now have strategies of their own.
Through this Strategy, we aim to strengthen cooperation with global partners, improve market access for European bio-based technologies, and promote a fair and rules-based global bioeconomy.
This is key for Europes competitiveness and for resilience in our supply chains.
This transition is not just industrial – it is societal.
We will need new skills, new professions, and new forms of cooperation.
Young people will play a key role and I was encouraged by their contributions today.
Our commitment is to build a transition that is fair, inclusive and rooted in the regions that produce, process and innovate.
Ladies and gentlemen,
To conclude, let me highlight an important point:
Europe has everything it needs to lead on the bioeconomy: the natural resources, the industrial base, the science, and, above all, the people.
Our work ahead will require determination across Member States, industry, investors, researchers and primary producers.
I am confident that the next chapter of Europes bioeconomy will be one of growth, resilience and opportunity.
Thank you for your engagement and commitment.
Now, lets turn this Strategy into action.
