Brussels, 30 August 2013 – The European Starch Industry Association, AAF, welcomes both the Commission’s announcement of the Public-Private Partnership for the bio-industries BRIDGE2020 and the adoption of the own-initiative report by Paolo Bartolozzi MEP in support of the bioeconomy, both announced in July.

Of the 10 million tonnes of starch produced in the EU, 40% is used in non-food applications. The starch industry is one of the pioneers of the bio-economy in Europe and a long term supporter of the EU’s bio-economy strategy.

On 10 July, supporting the view that the “valley of death” between research on innovative greener products and placement on the EU market had to be bridged, Commissioner Geoghegan-Quinn proposed the establishment of a Public-Private Partnership for the bio-industries. Bio-based industries will match the €1 billion EU fund by €2.8 billion, tallying €3.8 billion of investments in bio-based products over 2014-2020.

AAF managing director, Jamie Fortescue, commented: “Due to the complexities of the bio-economy discussion, it has sometimes been challenging to transform sound strategic objectives into concrete action. This announcement is further evidence that action is achievable. Providing financial support on this scale to the development of biorefineries of renewable raw materials in Europe will help achieve the paradigm change that is crucial to current and future generations and instrumental to many EU policies. We warmly welcome the announcement and sincerely hope that the initiative will receive the support of the other EU institutions.”

In this respect, the landslide support of the European Parliament’s committees and plenary to the Bartolozzi report in support of the bio-economy and is particularly welcomed.

Jamie Fortescue added ‘The adoption of the Bartolozzi report at the same time as the Commission’s announcement on Public Private Partnerships is, we hope, a strong signal of the political support that this and further concrete measures to support the development of the bio-economy will achieve’.

For more details on the AAF position on the bioeconomy please see:

“The European starch industry’s past, present and future contribution to the bioeconomy in Europe”

For more information please visit https://starch.eu

For more details about the Public-Private Partnership for the bio-industries, please visit BRIDGE2020

Contact: Jamie Fortescue

Managing Director

Tel. +32 2 289 67 60

Email: j.fortescue@starch.eu

The AAF is the trade association which represents the interests of the EU starch industry both at European and international level. Its membership comprises 23 EU starch producing companies, together representing more than 95% of the EU starch industry, and, in associate membership, 7 national starch industry associations.

August 30, 2013