Biotech Updates

Horizon 2020 on Biotechnology's Role in Meeting Europe's ‘Grand Challenges'

December 2, 2011

Biotechnology is considered by the European Commission's Horizon 2020- European Framework Programme for Research and Innovation as one of the six enabling technologies that can boost European economy. The Programme will focus on EU's grand challenges that include sustainable agriculture, food security, resource efficiency of the bio-economy, health and well-being for an aging population.

As biotechnology is seen as an important tool in tackling these challenges, several issues were discussed including research and innovation funding for biotech research, public-private partnerships and a coherent and workable regulatory framework that ensures that the ideas and products invented in Europe are put in the European market. The biotechnology industry represented by EuropaBio strongly supports the EU commission's focus on biotechnology and the proposed budget.

For more on this news, see http://www.europabio.org/cross-sectors/press/horizon-2020-biotechnology-play-major-role-meeting-european-grand-challenges