BIOEAST Initiative – Central and Eastern European Initiative for Knowledge-Based Agriculture, Aquaculture and Forestry in the Bioeconomy
The BIOEAST Initiative is a political initiative established by the ministries of agriculture of eleven Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia.
The initiative responds to the needs and common challenges faced by the countries of the CEE region in developing knowledge-based agriculture, sustainable forestry, aquaculture, and the bioeconomy. It promotes the cooperation of research and innovation across the region and contributes to the implementation of the European Green Deal, the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), and other EU strategies and policies.
The main objectives of the BIOEAST Initiative are:
- To create a shared strategic research and innovation framework for the bioeconomy in the CEE region.
- To support the development of national bioeconomy strategies.
- To foster cooperation among member states and with the European Commission.
- To strengthen the participation of the CEE countries in European research programs (e.g., Horizon Europe).
- To support capacity building and the development of human resources in the region.
The BIOEAST Initiative also supports thematic working groups focusing on key areas such as sustainable agriculture, forestry, freshwater-based bioeconomy, food systems, education, and bioeconomy in rural areas.
The initiative is coordinated through the BIOEASTsUP Horizon 2020 project, which helps to operationalize its goals and supports the establishment of national bioeconomy platforms.
More information: www.bioeast.eu
