An interview with Nicolò Giacomuzzi-Moore, Executive Director at CBE JU. “We have no time to waste if we want to maintain the leadership in the circular bioeconomy”

Nicolò Giacomuzzi-Moore, Executive Director at CBE JU, talks to Il Bioeconomista. In this exclusive interview, released just after the presentation of the new EU Bioeconomy Strategy, he talks about the Communication launched by the Berlaymont and the next steps that are needed to make the bioeconomy happen: “We have no time to waste if we want to mantain the leadership in the circular bioeconomy, because our competitors are moving fast and often do not play by the rules”. 

Mr Giacomuzzi-Moore, the EU Commission yesterday published the new Bioeconomy strategy. What are your first comments?

This strategy comes in a new context, in which the bioeconomy is at the heart of EU policies for green growth and European competitiveness. This strategic sector has also been highlighted in the strategic priorities of both the European Commission and the Council. This was not the case in the past and today the EU bioeconomy strategy reads like an industrial strategy, clearly highlighting the main hurdles that the CBE JU stakeholder community has communicated to the policymakers. Another good sign – in my view – is that the European Commission has been listening to a growing and very promising sector. 

There is no mention on a future Implementation Action Plan. Do you see the risk to have just another empty strategy without concrete reforms in the legislation?

I’d rather look at this from a positive angle. There are plenty of actions announced, some of them on the regulatory side, that are synthesised in the annex. It looks to me as an action plan, and our stakeholders – public and private – have been asking for them for a long time. Just a couple of examples: the revision of the Taxonomy delegated acts is fundamental to unlock investments, the revision of standards for bio-based products will open market opportunities, like the target for bio-based content in the packaging and packaging waste regulations.

I think it will be important to have clear target deadlines, some of the actions run over a three-year span and industry – both small and large – need certainty on the implementation. We have no time to waste if we want to maintain the leadership in the circular bioeconomy, because our competitors are moving fast and often do not play by the rules.

Next year the EU will launch the Circular Economy Act and the Biotech Act. As far as you’re concerned why there is no a plan to have a Bioeconomy Act?

The European Commission plans to come forward with two Biotech Acts and the Circular Economy Act within the next 12 months. While we might not have a Bioeconomy Act, I think these initiative are the perfect occasion to give a strong and very concrete signal to our sector. The second Biotech Act will be focussed on bio-manufacturing and should provide a predictable and enabling environment for bio-based innovation through the provision, for example, of regulatory sandboxes, streamline permitting for biomanufacturing projects and fast-track authorisation procedures in certain areas. The Circular Economy Act is expected to contain key measures when it comes to the use of biomass waste.

How do you see the role of CBE JU in the next years?

CBE JU will continue its core task of supporting the scale up of circular bio-based technologies, specifically with our next two calls worth 300 million€. We will focus on higher TRLs supporting the investment journey from the lab to the market, optimising the partnership between the European public and private sector. In these challenging times, the possibility of having a shared vision, a solid stakeholder community including scientists and Member States, and a reliable funding instrument like CBE JU are fundamental.  

We will also work on deployment with a particular focus on the involvement of primary producers in the bioeconomy and on the alignment with the financial sector, as also underlined in the bioeconomy strategy. Access to finance is key to unlocking investments and moving these promising technologies to industrial scale.

Last but not least, we look forward to discussing the role of CBE JU in the next financial programming of the Union, especially in relation with new instruments like the European Competitiveness fund.

What are the next steps that are needed to strengthen the European Bioeconomy and achieve a real change of paradigm from Regions to Brussels?

Today I observe a multiplication of different funding instruments at European level and at national level. I think the key for the future funding programmes is ensuring complementarity between the European and national instruments. In these difficult times – also from a budgetary standpoint at EU level and in many Member States – we must avoid any overlap, coordinate and align as much as possible, and exploit funding instruments that ensure the highest return on public investment and deliver on impact.  

From the regulatory standpoint, our stakeholders ask urgently for three things: market pull measures, better access to finance and regulation that is fit for purpose. All this is in today’s bioeconomy strategy, now it is time to get it done.

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Author

Mario Bonaccorso

Source

Il Bioeconomista, 2025-11-28.

Supplier

Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU)
European Commission
European Union

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