Report on macro-regions: Mapping of initiatives, structures, instruments and key challenges for EU's macro-regions. Deliverable 1.4 of the ShapingBio project

This publication is a deliverable of the project ShapingBio, a HorizonEurope funded Coordination and Support Action. Its aims are to gain a deeper understanding of the EU bioeconomy innovation eco-system and to derive recommendations on which measures should be taken, by EU, Member States, and others to strengthen bioeconomy innovation systems. This Deliverable provides a mapping of the bioeconomy activities, structures, actors, policy strategies and instruments as well as challenges for selected topics for four EU macro-regions covering total EU-27. The 4 macro-regions included in the report are: Baltic Sea macro-region (DK, EE, FI, LV,LT, SE), Western region (AT, BE, DE, FR, IRL, NL), Southern region ( ES; GR, IT, PT) and Central-Eastern region (BG, CZ, HR, HU, PL, RO, SK, SL). The Deliverable shows that the bioeconomy landscape differs across the EU and the four macro-regions show specific profiles regarding type of biomass available, value chains and policy developments. Within the macro-region profile, macro-regions are to a certain extent heterogeneous on a country level. Strategic policy activities differ between member states in their maturity stage, but also in their approach. The mapping yielded a broad spectrum of approaches that EU member states pursued towards a national bioeconomy policy. Ten member states have a dedicated bioeconomy strategy, but differ in the point of time when such a strategy was developed (early to late adopters), whether the strategy is with/without action plan, differ in scope and sectoral foci. Policy coordination within the Member States is of crucial importance, because of the cross-sectoral character of the bioeconomy and its linkages to different policy fields. All countries with strategies have involved several ministries covering different domains such as environment and climate change, R&D&I, agriculture or economics. While the countries have established informal and formal networks level, still challenges for joint decision making and integrated bioeconomy policies remains. Implementation of the bioeconomy strategies by appropriate policy mixes is an ongoing issue in many Member States. There are significant difference in bioeconomy innovation. The Western Region takes a leading role, it is also at the forefront with industrial activities.
The final cross-conclusion chapter highlights specific topics that need further investigation, comprising policy coordination, cross-sectoral collaboration, applied R&D and technology transfer, as well as financing issues in the bioeconomy.