On 20 October 2026, Marie Kubáňková, Ph.D., representing BIOEAST HUB CR, spoke at the European Partnerships conference (Európske partnerstvá) at the Slovak Centre of Scientific and Technical Information (CVTI SR) in Bratislava.
At the heart of the presentation was a simple but important message: building such an initiative takes time, commitment and sustained effort. The existing BIOEAST Initiative provides a framework through which countries and stakeholders can identify common challenges and develop shared priorities.
Within this framework, BIOEAST HUB CR works at both national and macro-regional levels, coordinating two macro-regional Thematic Working Groups: Fresh Water Based Bioeconomy and Bioeconomy Education. Through FreshwaterNet and BIOEAST UniNet, these groups connect strategic priorities with projects, institutions and the people who can put them into practice.
The work on freshwater-based bioeconomy demonstrates how this pathway has been developed step by step. The timeline presented in Bratislava traced a progression from mapping national priorities in 2020 through engagement with the European Union Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters”, stakeholder consultations and validation workshops, the completion of the first thematic Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda in 2023, the BIOEAST Stakeholder Manifesto, project-clustering events and continued policy dialogue. Together, these activities have made the Water–Soil–Climate Nexus a strategic priority for the thematic working group.
At policy level, the presentation highlighted the Council conclusions approved in November 2024, which assessed the need, feasibility and potential impact of a future research and innovation initiative. It also referred to the EU’s Strategic Framework for a Competitive and Sustainable EU Bioeconomy. The framework states that the EU will launch a research and innovation initiative for regions with high biomass potential, including the BIOEAST countries, Moldova, Ukraine and the Western Balkans.
This does not mean that a new BIOEAST Research and Innovation Initiative has already been formally established or funded. It does, however, demonstrate growing European recognition of the BIOEAST macro-region’s priorities, capabilities and potential.
“It was a privilege to present the pathway towards a future BIOEAST Research and Innovation Initiative. Progress of this kind does not happen all at once. It grows through regular effort, shared learning and cooperation across countries. That is how sustained commitment pays off—in practical steps and results we can build on together,” said Marie Kubáňková, Ph.D., BIOEAST HUB CR.
The presentation also looked ahead to the BIOEAST UniNet Flagship Conference, taking place in Brussels on 24 November 2026. The conference will continue the conversation across research, education, bioeconomy and regional cooperation—and provide another practical step towards turning a shared vision into collective action.
