From Strategy to Action: Panel discussion on first anniversary of EBCA

From strategy to action – this was the spirit of the first official event of the European Bioeconomy Clusters Alliance (EBCA) – an alliance of European clusters in which CLIB is a founding member.  

On 12 February 2026 in Brussels, the alliance brought together key stakeholders from the European Commission (DG ENVI, DG RTD, DG REGIO, DG GROW), CBE JU and a wide range of others to discuss the future of the EU Bioeconomy Strategy – and, most importantly, how it will actually be delivered. 

One thing was clear throughout the discussion: bioeconomy is not only about sustainability. It is about competitiveness, industrial resilience and Europe’s strategic autonomy. 

Bioeconomy clusters are not simply participants in this transition – they are structured ecosystems that connect research, industry, regions and SMEs. They translate EU strategies into regional action, investment pipelines and industrial deployment. In short, they help turn policy ambition into implementation. 

EBCA emphasised the need for: 

  • Clear recognition of bioeconomy clusters as strategic partners in EU governance  
  • Stronger coordination across EU, national and regional levels  
  • A stable, innovation-friendly regulatory framework that enables bio-based value chains to scale 

This very first event set the tone for the Alliance’s role moving forward: constructive, policy-driven and focused on delivery. 

We warmly thank all our participants for their valuable contributions and constructive engagement. The presentation by Barbara Smailagić, DG ENVI clearly outlined the expectations the European Commission has of the bioeconomy. The 2040 vision includes sustainable bio-based materials and products deployed in the EU, with the EU becoming a leading partner, and exporter of bio-based solutions. To this end, the bioeconomy strategy includes a range of actions, which we hope will be deployed soon to reach this ambitious goal in less than 15 years’ time.  

A sincere thank you to European Bioplastics for hosting our event and for creating the space for such an open and forward-looking exchange.