Editorial – From Strategy to Impact: Inclusive Decision-Making in National Bioeconomy Action Plans

Spotlight: Explore our Knowledge Platform!

BOOST4BIOEAST Progress Update: Key achievements from the last 18 months

From Data to Decisions: Mapping Bioeconomy Readiness across the BIOEAST region

News

Event

The Annual BIOEAST Bioeconomy Conference will take place on 22-23rd April at the University of Zadar in Zadar, Croatia. Organized under the BIOEAST Initiative and the BOOST4BIOEAST project, this year the conference will bring together bioeconomy stakeholders from across Central and Eastern Europe to validate the bioeconomy action plans in terms of policy implications, future impact and valorisation opportunities at national, macro-regional and European levels. We look forward to engaging with experts and decision-makers to advance bioeconomy research and cooperation.

Why attend?

• Gain insights into the latest developments of BIOEAST Initiative and the  bioeconomy action plans across eleven CEE countries.

• Engage in discussions on EU bioeconomy research and innovation priorities and their impact on the policy landscape of countries of the macro-region.

• Participate in interactive thematic sessions to help refine the impact and valorisation potential of the bioeconomy action plans in the CEE macro-region.

• Network with policymakers, researchers, innovators, and industry actors.

• Join  field trips showcasing practical bioeconomy applications.

Call for Posters

We invite poster submissions for the Annual BIOEAST Bioeconomy Conference on 22-23rd April at the University of Zadar in Zadar, Croatia. Posters should showcase best practices and projects advancing bioeconomy policy and governance processes and solutions from, and relevant to the Central and Eastern European macro-region. Open to researchers, industry professionals, policymakers, NGOs, students, and EU-funded projects, this is a great opportunity for visibility, networking, and collaboration in the bioeconomy sector.

Submission deadline: 1 April 2026

Learn more

BOOST4BIOEAST’s vision is centred around strengthening the bioeconomy across the CEE.

To do this, access to high-quality, relevant knowledge is essential. The BIOEAST Knowledge Platform serves this purpose: a go-to digital gateway for information, learning resources, and practical tools that support bioeconomy transformation across the BIOEAST macro-region.

The BIOEAST Knowledge Platform is a multilingual online interactive repository space designed to facilitate knowledge exchange on bioeconomy topics relevant to the CEE region. 

The Platform brings together a wide range of resources, from policy documents to educational content, addressing current challenges and opportunities in advancing sustainable bioeconomy practices.

Whether you are a researcher, policymaker, educator, entrepreneur, or student, the BIOEAST Knowledge Platform has something to offer to further your solutions, innovations, or research. These resources support evidence-based decision-making and stimulate cross-border collaboration.

Recognising the linguistic diversity of the BIOEAST region, the platform includes materials available in English as well as materials in some of the national languages of participating countries. Users can explore policy recommendations, strategic and academic publications, educational videos, training materials, and good practice guides. This variety ensures that both foundational knowledge and advanced insights are available for different audiences.

Moreover, the BIOEAST Knowledge Platform continues to grow with new materials and insights as the BOOST4BIOEAST project progresses, ensuring that content remains relevant and reflective of emerging trends and outcomes from ongoing research and stakeholder engagement.

Visit the BIOEAST Knowledge Platform, explore its library, and use its resources to support your work in the bioeconomy. If you have relevant materials that can benefit others, consider contributing them to the platform! Your input will help expand the collective understanding and impact of bioeconomy initiatives across the region.

Make your outputs visible through the Knowledge Platform!

Over the past 18 months, the BOOST4BIOEAST project has made significant progress in strengthening the BIOEAST macro-regional bioeconomy ecosystem. Through close collaboration with national stakeholders, policymakers, researchers, and innovators, the project has laid strong structural and strategic foundations that will support long-term bioeconomy development across the CEE.

A major milestone has been the establishment and activation of nine new national BIOEAST HUBs in Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Slovakia, Croatia, Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia, alongside the expansion of the Czech and Polish HUBs. Check out the HUB Introduction videos on the project’s Youtube channel!

All BIOEAST HUBs are now supported by dedicated mini-sites hosted on the BIOEAST website, increasing their visibility and providing a central access point for national activities, stakeholders, and resources. To support their work, a new BIOEAST HUB Handbook has been developed, providing practical guidance on HUB governance, stakeholder engagement, and operational activities. In parallel, 11 national HUB roadmaps have been prepared using a shared methodology, defining priorities and next steps tailored to national contexts.

BOOST4BIOEAST has also delivered key progress on policy development. A common framework and methodology for national Bioeconomy Action Plans have been co-designed and tested across the region. This work is supported by regular consultations with HUB coordinators, ensuring alignment between national needs and macro-regional objectives.

In addition, a comprehensive mapping of bioeconomy innovation ecosystems has been completed in all BIOEAST countries. This mapping covers existing strategies, policy instruments, and funding opportunities, providing a strong evidence base to support informed decision-making and future investments in bioeconomy research and innovation.

Looking ahead, the BIOEAST Open Innovation Challenge has been launched, and winners have been selected. The OIC connected innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers, and investors, helping to translate bioeconomy ideas into market-ready solutions. More information and the winners' list are available on the BIOEAST website.

These achievements demonstrate the strong momentum of BOOST4BIOEAST and the commitment of the BIOEAST community to building an inclusive, knowledge-based, and innovation-driven bioeconomy. As the project moves into its next phase, the focus will increasingly shift toward implementation, impact, and long-term sustainability, ensuring that the structures and strategies developed deliver tangible benefits across the BIOEAST macro-region.

You can access and download 14 deliverables and 6 milestone reports on the BIOEAST Knowledge Platform or on Zenodo.

Deliverable D3.2 “Integrated assessment w/ description of competency and biomass indices” introduces the integrated assessment framework that evaluates how prepared BIOEAST countries are for a sustainable and circular bioeconomy. It combines indicators on biomass availability, data quality, and social, technological, and economic competencies, assessing both the status quo and national targets for 2030. The framework enables systematic gap analysis, helping the HUBs identify strengths, weaknesses, and strategic priorities.

Click on the country graphics to discover how each BIOEAST country performs today, and where it aims to be by 2030. The interactive visuals highlight key gaps and ambitions across biomass potential and competencies.

BULGARIA

CROATIA

CZECHIA

ESTONIA

HUNGARY

LATVIA

LITHUANIA 

POLAND

ROMANIA

SLOVAKIA

SLOVENIA

Explore the interactive dendrogram to understand the full assessment framework, revealing how individual indicators, sub-goals, and overarching goals are systematically linked within the multi-level bioeconomy readiness framework.

Read the full report which provides detailed country results, details on the assessment method, and policy-relevant insights into where targeted interventions can most effectively accelerate bioeconomy development.

 “Strategy for a Competitive and Sustainable EU Bioeconomy“ has been published in December 2025: Click here

“Financing the bio-based revolution: crossing the valleys of death”: Click here. BIC has produced a new policy brief discussing the financing issues of biomanufacturing in Europe. The aim is to describe the hurdles in depth and provide a list of ambitious concrete actions for policymakers to implement to overcome these financing issues.

 policy expert discussion was organised by the Education TWG at Warsaw University of Life Sciences on 10th December 2025:  Click here

The conference brings together the key lessons learned from regional business development, stakeholder engagement, and policymaking—particularly within the Common Agricultural Policy framework. These insights provide a solid foundation for exploring emerging opportunities and future trends in the bioeconomy. The event will showcase bio-based value chains, pilot solutions, and innovative cooperation models developed and tested through the BIOECO-UP project demonstrating that the bioeconomy is a practical, scalable pathway for local and regional economic growth. Special focus will be given to the policy environment, highlighting the instruments that can most effectively integrate the bioeconomy into agricultural, industrial, research and innovation, and environmental strategies at both regional and national levels.

Date of event: 13 March 2026 9:30-15:00

Venue: Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary

Main achievements of the project:

• Strengthening Intersectoral Cooperation for Resilient Bio-Based Value Chains: Click here

• Engaging Citizens in the Bioeconomy: From Workshops to Living Labs: Click here

• Mainstreaming circular bioeconomy policies in Central and Eastern Europe: Click here

 Meeting of the joint EAPR sections Agronomy & Physiology and Post Harvest between 16th-19th June 2026, Warsaw, Poland. The event provides a forum for the exchange of knowledge on the cultivated potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), from agronomy, precision agriculture, biochemistry, physiology, and postharvest assessment to issues related to potato storage and potato processing.