Accelerating Europe’s Biotech Revolution

With recent global events and ­tariffs shaking global trade, immediate action is required to ensure our bio-companies thrive. We need a bold and broad EU Biotech Act to boost competitiveness, accelerate the green transition, and enhance European self-reliance.

Biotechnological solutions – we call them biosolutions – can meet global needs by boosting food production and enabling sustainable industrial processes. A McKinsey report highlights that ­advanced biotechnology could generate up to US$1trillion in global economic value over the next 15 years. The biosolutions industry supports over 700,000 jobs in Europe, strengthening sustainable supply chains and a circular economy.

However, biosolutions in Europe face fragmented regulatory regimes that hinder companies from scaling efficiently. They lack funding opportunities and encounter lengthy approval processes, which dishearten many firms. Addressing regulatory inefficiencies and enhancing strategic ­investments is necessary to secure our competitive edge – and there is no time to waste.

Three critical areas need immediate attention to help Europe’s biotech sector thrive:

1. Our regulatory processes are the slowest worldwide, adhering to outdated legis­lation, impairing our competitiveness. Reforming these frameworks is crucial to ­unleashing ­Europe’s innovative potential.
2. Second, strategic investment is vital to scaling biosolutions beyond pharmaceuticals. Investing in biomaterials can lead to groundbreaking products like biodegradable silk. We must ensure financing is accessible and avoid barriers that hinder investments.
3. Third, prioritising biosolutions within EU industrial policy will accelerate the shift to a bio-based economy and position Europe as a leader in sustainability. Advanced bio­technology can generate significant economic value, reduce CO2 emissions, and save water.

The need for action is undeniable. To solidify our role as a global leader in sustainability and innovation, Europe must embrace biosolutions by speeding up registration processes, ensuring accessible finance and infrastructure, and prioritising biosolutions in our industrial strategy. We must urge the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the EU Council to enact a bold and broad European Biotech Act to champion biosolutions as the cornerstone of our competitiveness and green transition. Let setbacks become comebacks and seize this opportunity to lead the biorevolution for a sustainable future in Europe.

Sofie Carsten Nielsen is the Director of the European Biosolutions Coalition and of the biosolutions industry community in Danish Industry since May 2023. She is a former political party leader and former Minister of Higher Education and Research, and was a member of the Danish Parliament for more than 10 years. She is a political scientist by education and has a Master’s in European Politics and Administration from the College of Europe, Bruges.

This article was originally published in European Biotechnology Magazine, Summer 2025.