Good morning, ladies and gentlemen,
Thank you, Minister Multala, for your warm welcome.
Let me start by saying how happy I am to be back in Helsinki.
There are few cities that blend so well with nature, so this is the perfect place to host the Business and Nature Summit.
The natural world has powered our societies and economies since the dawn of human existence.
Healthy ecosystems filter our air, purify our water and pollinate our food.
Nature is the bedrock of vital sectors – from agriculture and food to textiles and tourism.
In fact, more than 7 out of 10 companies in the euro area are critically dependent on nature.
At least 3 million companies in the EU are highly dependent on at least one ecosystem service.
Take water as a concrete example: surface water scarcity puts nearly 15 per cent of the euro areas economic output at risk.
And so, protecting nature means protecting business and protecting jobs.
It is also vital for our resilience and our preparedness, our security and our defence, in the widest sense of the word.
However, nature is very often invisible on corporate balance sheets.
We still value tech stocks more than fish stocks.
We pay more attention to shareholders than to soil health.
And we focus on profit and loss accounts more than pollinators, pollution or PFAS.
That needs to change. And the Business and Nature Summit – and those of you here today – are a vital part of that shift.
You are building competitive, resilient businesses that work with nature.
I want to thank you for your leadership – and we are determined to support your efforts.
For example, the EU Roadmap Towards Nature Credits rewards investments in ecosystem protection and preservation. It is inspired by the Finnish experience, and I look forward to continuing our collaboration on this topic.
I am also pleased that this years Summit combines two priorities that are close to my heart: the circular economy and the bioeconomy.
I no longer see the circular economy as an environmental choice.
It has become an economic necessity.
It is Europes best chance to stay competitive in a world of scarce raw materials and expensive energy.
And our best chance to reduce our reliance on others.
We know too well the problems our energy dependence has caused us. We do not want to be in the same situation for critical raw materials.
Today, 98% of our rare earth element supply comes from China.
Depending so much on others comes at a very high cost for our businesses.
And this dependency will grow as our demand grows.
We need to take concrete actions to reduce our dependencies and act firmly against export restrictions.
The Critical Raw Materials Act is our plan, and circularity is at its core.
Every tonne of material we reuse, every product we repair, and every resource we recycle means lower costs for businesses, more resilience for our industry, fewer carbon emissions, and less vulnerability to global shocks and trade tensions.
It makes EU more secure and competitive.
But its also a promise to future generations: we will use what we have wisely, and pass it on — not depleted, but renewed.
Our products of today are our critical raw materials for tomorrow.
And with every trade restriction on raw materials the business case for investing in recycling in Europe gets stronger.
It is time for businesses to accelerate and scale up investment in circularity.
We will support through the upcoming Circular Economy Act.
We will establish a single market for secondary raw materials –boosting both supply and demand.
We will review the rules on e-waste to ensure effective collection and recycling.
And we need to cut red tape and make it easier to do business in Europe.
We will also examine how public procurement can drive demand for secondary materials.
Before the end of this year – while we wait for the full Act – we will adopt a series of immediate initiatives designed to boost investment, to apply trade measures where justified, and to simplify.
Remember, the circular economy is not about doing less — its about doing better: turning waste into wealth, and challenges into opportunities
It proves that economic strength and environmental responsibility are not opposites – they are two sides of the same coin.
In parallel, we are building a transformative bioeconomy, rooted in our rural communities, and powered by innovation and biotech.
Like the circular economy, it will reduce our reliance on imports.
And it will replace everyday fossil-based products with those coming from renewable, biological natural resources.
It means we reduce carbon emissions, protect ecosystems and fight climate change at the same time.
To drive this transformation, the Commission plans to adopt a new EU Bioeconomy Strategy this year.
I want to harness the sectors untapped market potential.
In Finland, the bioeconomy represents 12% of your GDP – which is more than double the EU share.
So this is the perfect place to speak about this topic. With your competitive forest industry, you are ahead of many others in this space.
It is high time we started to value the forest for what it is – a strategic, homegrown resource for Europe.
We need to close the innovation gap, ensure financing, and boost investments.
This requires a supportive and predictable framework.
Simplification is an important step. It means, for example, that permitting, approval, and certification processes are fair, proportionate and clear.
We need to build a Single Market that truly supports our bioeconomy companies, including SMEs.
Second – I want to increase circularity across bio-based value chains.
This means recovering and recycling valuable raw materials, such as valorising different agricultural, forest and industrial residues and side streams.
Third – my aim is to build the sector, but also to ensure its long-term sustainability.
We need to promote regenerative practices and protect the ecosystems that make the bioeconomy possible in the first place.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Recently, I came across an idea that resonated strongly with me:
At the heart of every ecosystem lies a simple truth – everything is connected, and nothing survives alone.
So when one element thrives, it feeds and fuels the others.
There is a powerful lesson here.
When we work together, we can make the EU a leader in the rapidly growing bioeconomy markets.
And we can deliver a circular economy that boosts our strategic autonomy.
Together, we can build a more resilient Europe, a more competitive industry, and a more sustainable future.
But these efforts depend on thriving ecosystems and rich biodiversity – because there is no healthy business on an unhealthy planet.
So I look forward to working with you to protect and restore nature – not as a brake on growth, but as the best way to secure it.
Protecting and restoring nature is not a cost or a burden – it is an investment in the future and Europes greatest opportunity to lead, to grow, and to guarantee prosperity for its people.
