Today, the EU Commission issues a major communication on biotechnology – the Mid-Term Policy Review of the EU's Life Science and Biotechnology Strategy.  The strategy which was first published in January 2002, has been subject to re-examination over the last two years by Member States and the EU Commission who have consulted interested stakeholders to get their input including through an open consultation via internet.  The Review assesses what needs to change in the strategy, what new policies are required, what has worked and what has not worked so well in developing the biotechnology environment in Europe.

EuropaBio – the EU Association for Bioindustries - welcomes the Review of the EU’s Life Science and Biotechnology Strategy and congratulates the Commission on putting together such an extensive policy Review.  The industry considers that the refocused actions proposed by the Commission are an important step towards building the bio-economy. However Industry regrets the lack of implementation of the EU biotech strategy by a number of Member States and would like to see both the Review and the new action plan for biotechnology to be implemented throughout Europe without a biased pick and choose approach so as to obtain a coherent policy in favour of biotechnology in Europe.

“Member States must take their responsibilities to implement the biotech strategy seriously otherwise today’s Mid Term Review of the European strategy will not generate the bio-economy  and meanwhile US, China and the rest of the world will run ahead of Europe,”  says Johan Vanhemelrijck, Secretary General EuropaBio. 

A recent study into Biotech medicines BioImpact© showed that of the top performing biotech medicines for breast cancer, heart disease and inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis– most of them were developed in the US.  “Europe is great in science and knowledge but when it comes to translating that science and knowledge into products – the innovation part – the fragmented European legal, financial and regulatory environment is not as fertile as other regions.” says Johan Vanhemelrijck.  “Ministers must realise that they are the key solution to reduce the fragmentation by implementing the strategy in a coherent and timely manner, this will stimulate entrepreneurship and good innovation. It will take the science out of the labs and bring it to society, build the bio-economy and help grow companies, jobs and solutions to our own unmet needs be they medical, agricultural, industrial, environmental.”

Five years on from the first EU strategy for biotechnology some of the elements that still need implementing in a coherent way:

• The spirit of the biotech patents directive is not respected by all Member States; 

• Countries are still not accepting approved and safe plant biotech products and are denying choice to farmers by refusing to condemn state imposed bans on biotech crops; 

• Member States continue to complicate, to the extreme, market access to safe optimised plants, questioning the conclusions of the scientific assessment rather than accepting the scientific opinions of their own European Food Safety Authority on the safety of these products. “They should stop seeding doubt to cultivate fear”, says Johan Vanhemelrijck.

EuropaBio looks to the Competitiveness Council to positively endorse the Review of the biotech strategy and the new actions proposed as this Review has been carefully prepared with the Member States Biotech Network Forum; this network is made up of representatives from ministries that are part of Competitiveness Council. 

EuropaBio calls on the European Parliament and stakeholders to support the life sciences and biotechnology strategy that has given an opportunity for all stakeholders to reinvigorate the process and to send in ideas, suggestions and comments.

The Review shows that life sciences and biotechnology have grown to be central to certain sectors of the EU economy and in a study to be published April 20th it is estimated that modern biotechnology has generated almost 2% of EU gross value added already today, which indicates that its importance is comparable to Europe’s largest industry sectors.  Biopharmaceuticals has almost tripled from 1996 – 2005 and represents a 10% share of the combined turnover of the pharmaceutical market of the EU, USA and Japan.  In the agroindustry, up to 20% of the sector turnover is now related to biotech, and in industrial biotech the EU produces about 75% of the world’s enzymes.