8 April 20242 April 2024 Pushing out plastic in consumer-goods packaging Cellulose fibres are emerging as a sustainable option for wrapping everything from foods to electronic
28 March 202425 March 2024 Commission takes action to boost biotechnology and biomanufacturing in the EU The EU biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector is facing several challenges: research and technology transfer to the market, regulatory complexity, access to finance, skills, value chain obstacles, intellectual property, public acceptance and economic security
CBE JU boosting the EU’s biotech and biomanufacturing sectors CBE JU funding supports projects developing and producing innovative, sustainable and circular bio-based solutions across many sectors spanning from bio-based chemicals to food and feed ingredients, from construction materials to packaging
25 March 202419 March 2024 Klimaschädliche Schlupflöcher und erwartete Handelskonflikte – EU-Kommission muss Bedenken offenlegen Die so genannte „Spiegelklausel“ dürfte für massive Handelskonflikte sorgen, denn für den Import von in Kunststoff verpackten Waren aus Drittstaaten sollen die gleichen Umweltvorgaben wie in der EU gelten, damit sie in der EU in Verkehr gebracht werden dürfen
20 March 202414 March 2024 PPWR bleibt hinter eigenen Zielen zurück – Sonderregeln für Kunststoff ökologisch und rechtlich unbegründet Die IK Industrievereinigung Kunststoffverpackungen ruft Kommission, Rat und Parlament dazu auf, bei der juristischen Überprüfung für faire und effektive Regeln für alle Verpackungsmaterialien zu sorgen
15 March 202411 March 2024 Four perspectives on how Europe can scale its bioeconomy Only high volume substitutes at reasonable cost can set biobased products on a course to cutting petrochemicals, but the industry is still far from this position
13 March 20248 March 2024 Packaging: Council and Parliament strike a deal to make packaging more sustainable and reduce packaging waste in the EU The proposal establishes requirements to ensure that packaging is safe and sustainable, by requiring that all packaging is recyclable and that the presence of substances of concern is minimised
PPWR bleibt Armutszeugnis für die EU-Bürokratie Anstelle von gleichen Regeln für alle Materialien enthält der Vorschlag zum PPWR weiterhin ökologisch und rechtlich unbegründete Sonderregeln für Kunststoff
12 March 20247 March 2024 Commission welcomes political agreement on EU-wide certification scheme for carbon removals A new framework will help the EU to reach climate neutrality by certifying carbon removals and carbon farming to ensure that they are transparent and trusted, preventing greenwashing and creating new business opportunities
NENU2PHAR project: end of project after 42 months After 42 months of dedicated effort and collaboration among 17 partners, we are proud to announce the successful conclusion of the project
11 March 20245 March 2024 European Hydrogen Bank pilot auction: 132 bids received from 17 European countries The pilot auction under the European Hydrogen Bank, for renewable hydrogen production in Europe, has attracted 132 bids from projects located in 17 European countries
8 March 202414 March 2024 Industrial Carbon Management interactive stories: a new tool to discover EU-funded projects in the CCUS sector According to the EU’s climate targets, at least 50 million tonnes of CO2 per year (Mtpa) will need to be captured by 2030, approximately 280 Mtpa by 2040 and up to 450 Mtpa by 2050
5 March 20244 March 2024 Commission sets out how to sustainably capture, store and use carbon to reach climate neutrality by 2050 An adopted Industrial Carbon Management Communication to provide details on how these technologies could contribute to reducing emissions by 90% by 2040
21 February 202421 February 2024 Bio-based innovations for industrial applications: stakeholder event on 24 April 2024 in Brussels presents latest breakthroughs and key findings from research on circular bio-based solutions Organised by two EU-funded research projects, CHAMPION and PERFECOAT, this stakeholder event is dedicated to the latest developments in bio-based solutions for a variety of materials such as coatings, paints, adhesives and detergents
European Court of Auditors: Foggy future for biofuels in the EU EU biofuels policy, legislation and priorities have often shifted, making the sector less attractive and impacting investors’ decisions
19 February 20247 February 2024 The EU has fired the starting gun for the race to deploy carbon dioxide removals in Europe Positioned as a frontrunner in carbon removal technology, Europe’s policy frameworks are likely to be picked up across the world
9 February 20246 February 2024 EU Commission wants captured CO2 to become ‘tradeable commodity’ The end objective is clear: making CO2 a “tradeable commodity” – like gas or crude oil – thanks to "an EU-wide transport and storage infrastructure with pipelines as the dominant transport means on land"
8 February 20247 February 2024 Navigating a Renewable Carbon Future with the Program of the CO₂-Based Fuels and Chemicals Conference 2024 Redefining CCU Technology and Empowering Power-to-X Solutions
CO₂-Based Fuels and Chemicals Conference 2024 – Auf dem Weg in eine Zukunft mit erneuerbarem Kohlenstoff CCU-Technologien und Power-to-X-Lösungen neu denken
1 February 202424 January 2024 Collaborative Project PRIMED: Redesigning the Primary Sector for Maximizing Bioeconomy Development The consortium of 12 European partners will develop diverse fair value chains to convert underutilized biomass resources into value-added bio-based products
Biomasse in Bioprodukte verwandeln Das neue EU-Projekt PRIMED will bisher ungenutzte Biomasseressourcen veredeln. Es ist an der Ruhr-Universität Bochum angesiedelt
30 January 202422 January 2024 Kunststoffrecyclingunternehmen können ab 2025 Energiebeihilfen beantragen Eine gute Nachricht für die Kunststoffrecyclingunternehmen: Die Unternehmen können ab dem 1. Januar 2025 wieder Energiebeihilfen beantragen. Das teilte der bvse-Bundesverband Sekundärrohstoffe und Entsorgung in einem Mitgliederrundschreiben mit
29 January 202419 January 2024 The rise in biomass production and use points to a growing bioeconomy: is this resource limitless? A new summary for policymakers report quantifies the biomass supply and uses in the EU and cautions against over-optimism on the availability of this limited, albeit renewable, resource
Carbon pricing for agriculture key to cutting emissions, say EU climate advisers Current policies are not a sufficient incentive for farmers to do more to achieve the EU climate targets, according to the European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change (ESABCC) experts, who warned of the need for a carbon pricing system for the sector
25 January 202418 January 2024 Better CO2 balance through natural-fiber-reinforced cement-based composites for sustainable construction in Brazil The project is being carried out within the framework of the “Eureka” research initiative, in which more than 45 countries around the world have joined forces with the European Commission
Bessere CO2-Bilanz durch naturfaserverstärkte Verbundwerkstoffe auf Zementbasis für nachhaltiges Bauen in Brasilien Das Projekt wird im Rahmen der Forschungsinitiative »Eureka« durchgeführt, in der über 45 Länder auf der ganzen Welt und die Europäische Kommission zusammengeschlossen sind
A recipe for sustainable bioeconomy: collaborate, engage locally, involve consumers The JRC put together policy makers, primary producers, consumers and businesses, tasking them with imagining the bioeconomy of the future. Policy recommendations from this exercise are now out
24 January 202416 January 2024 Record year of oilseed production – UFOP: proof of origin creates acceptance World trade in oilseeds will presumably drop 5 million tonnes to 196.8 million tonnes
23 January 202423 January 2024 Greenwashing – No, thanks! Workshop 7 February 2024: The Green Claims Directive on the rise – Everything companies need to know
22 January 202415 January 2024 Can Europe’s blue bioeconomy live up to its promises? The blue bioeconomy refers to marine-based sectors that draw specifically on biomass from the sea, either for primary extraction or to create processed materials and new biotechnologies for consumer markets
17 January 202417 January 2024 Substantiate your green claims – Get ahead of the curve! In recent years, consumers have been confronted by producers and retailers with statements such as “carbon neutral”, “carbon negative” or “net-zero” that have increasingly lost their credibility. And rightly so, as many of these statements were more marketing than scientifically based
15 January 202416 January 2024 Invitation to the Stakeholder Event “Bio-Based Innovations for Industrial Applications“ 24 April 2024, 9:00-17:00 CET, Brussels, Belgium
12 January 202411 January 2024 Free PEFerence webinars in February: PEF in bottle applications and for textiles PEF is an aspiring new bio-based material aiming at replacing fossil PET in a variety of applications such as PEF bottles and as a new and sustainable material in the textile industry
11 January 202410 January 2024 Renewable formic acid derived from captured CO₂ as a replacement of fossil feedstock in consumer goods The Horizon Europe project WaterProof releases a catchy and informative project video describing its innovative carbon capture and utilisation process aiming at a climate-neutral Europe and a truly circular EU economy
Erneuerbare Ameisensäure aus abgeschiedenem CO₂ als Ersatz für fossile Rohstoffe in Konsumgütern Das Horizon Europe Projekt WaterProof präsentiert ein überzeugendes und informatives Projektvideo, in dem das innovative Verfahren zur Kohlenstoffabscheidung und -nutzung beschrieben wird, mit dem ein klimaneutrales Europa und eine echte Kreislaufwirtschaft in der EU erreicht werden sollen
Circular and Innovative Production of Microalgae-based Fuels for Shipping and Aviation COCPIT is a new EU funded project supporting sustainable transport fuels uptake through a new end-user’ decision tool
10 January 202417 December 2024 Non-level playing field for renewable materials vs. fossil in Life Cycles Assessments Critical aspects of the JRC Plastics LCA methodology and its policy implications
All systems go as APK prepares for the construction of their new large-scale Newcycling® plant Strong investors, successful certifications, agreement for product supply
9 January 20242 January 2024 Nachhaltige Produkte sollen zur neuen Norm in der EU werden Das neue Gesetz wird auf der bestehenden Ökodesign-Richtlinie aufbauen, die seit fast 20 Jahren erfolgreich zur Verbesserung der Energieeffizienz von Produkten in der EU geführt hat
Time for a European Shift on Renewable Ethanol There is also growing interest in using ethanol as a feedstock in the biopolymers industry, which are essential if the EU wants to achieve its goals for climate change mitigation, food security and energy independence
Packaging and packaging waste: Council adopts its negotiating position on new rules for more sustainable packaging in the EU The aim is to tackle the increase in packaging waste generated in the EU, while harmonising the internal market for packaging and boosting the circular economy
Verpackungen und Verpackungsabfälle: Rat legt Verhandlungsposition zu neuen Vorschriften für nachhaltigere Verpackungen in der EU fest Dem Anstieg des Aufkommens an Verpackungsabfällen in der EU soll gegengesteuert und gleichzeitig der Binnenmarkt für Verpackungen harmonisiert und die Kreislaufwirtschaft angeschoben werden
5 January 20245 January 2024 Kreislaufwirtschaft braucht sinnvolle Massenbilanzierung Damit die hohen Investitionen ins chemische Recycling Sinn machen, braucht die chemische Industrie eine Massenbilanzierung wie das „Fuel Use Exempt“ Modell
2 January 202418 December 2023 Larger sunflower seed harvest in the EU In the EU-27, the 2023 harvest of sunflower seed came in considerably larger than the previous year. It also exceeded the long-term average
13 December 202315 December 2023 No Greenwashing, please! Key Take Aways from the Green Claims Directive for Communications and Marketing
A position for the wrong century: European Parliament’s vote on the PPWR Though waste prevention targets were preserved at 5% by 2030, 10% by 2035, and 15% by 2040, the watered-down text excluded crucial mechanisms needed to actually reach the environmental targets
12 December 202312 December 2023 Special Issue: The Green Claims Directive New EU directive to tackle greenwashing on product advertising
The proposed Green Claims Directive – Targeting Market Transparency for a Green Transition in Europe Impacts for all market players
How to be green – What is a valid scientific proof for environmental claims? Many things on the GCD proposal are not yet specified, but companies can prepare.
11 December 20235 December 2023 Bill Gates-backed fund buys into Europe’s largest green hydrogen-to-methanol Project Ørsted’s Green Fuell Plant FlagshipONE gets backing from Bill Gates and the European Union