Following the adoption of the EU environment ministers conclusions on the EU Bioeconomy Strategy at the Environment Council on 17 March, Copa and Cogeca, as well as CEPF welcome the recognition by Member States of the strategic role played by the agriculture and forestry sector for a sustainable bioeconomy.
The European bioeconomy represents a major opportunity to strengthen rural economies, create new value streams for farmers and forest owners, and contribute to the EU’s climate and circular economy objectives. In this regard, we welcome the balanced approach reflected in the Council conclusions, notably the recognition that no additional or mandatory sustainability criteria should be introduced, as well as the confirmation that the cascading principle should remain a guiding principle, allowing flexibility and innovation across bio-based value chains.
Copa and Cogeca, as well as CEPF also welcome the Council’s recognition of the key role of cooperation in enabling farmers and forest owners to participate in higher value-added bioeconomy value chains. The cooperatives play a central role here in helping them to retain value in rural areas while supporting investment, innovation and market development.
In addition, the sector supports the Council’s call to ensure proportionate compliance requirements and improved market access for SMEs and local processors, which are essential actors in the bioeconomy ecosystem. Safeguarding their competitiveness will be crucial for maintaining vibrant rural economies and ensuring that the benefits of the bioeconomy are widely shared.
Finally, we underline the importance of ensuring a global level playing field, so that European producers are not disadvantaged compared to international competitors operating under different standards.
We look forward to continuing the dialogue with EU institutions to ensure that the implementation of EU Bioeconomy Strategy unlocks the full potential of Europe’s agriculture and forestry sectors while delivering sustainable growth and innovation across rural areas.
Fonte: Copa and Cogeca
