Biotechnology and life sciences contribute to the modernisation of European industry. They are used in a variety of industrial sectors such as healthcare and pharmaceuticals, animal health, textiles, chemicals, plastic, paper, fuel, food, and feed processing. Taking advantage of biotechnology helps the EU economy grow and provides new jobs, while also supporting sustainable development, public health, and environmental protection.
The main applications of biotechnology in the EU economy can be classified into three broad groups:
The European Commission aims to identify and remedy obstacles to the biotechnology industry. As biotechnology is used in variety of economic sectors, it is necessary to analyse the market conditions in several different fields. These include biopharmaceuticals, chemicals and industrial processes, bio-based products, and agro-food applications. The Commission:
The Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship, and SMEs works on many policies which impact biotechnology. They include:
Directorate-General for Research and Innovation
Joint Research Centre
Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development
Directorate-General for Health and Consumers