EuropaBio ("The European Association for Bioindustries") is Europe's largest and most influential biotech industry group, whose members include leading large-size healthcare and industrial

biotechnology Biotechnology is a multidisciplinary field that involves the integration of natural sciences and Engineering Science, engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms and parts thereof for products and services. Specialists ...

companies. EuropaBio is located in

Brussels Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...

, Belgium. The organisation was initiated in 1996 to represent the interests of the

industry at the European level, and therefore influence legislation that serves the interests of biotechnology companies in Europe.

Activity and goals

EuropaBio is engaged in dialogue with the

European Parliament The European Parliament (EP) is one of the two legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and informally as the Council of Ministers), it ...

, the

European Commission The European Commission (EC) is the primary Executive (government), executive arm of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with a number of European Commissioner, members of the Commission (directorial system, informall ...

, and the

Council of Ministers Council of Ministers is a traditional name given to the supreme Executive (government), executive organ in some governments. It is usually equivalent to the term Cabinet (government), cabinet. The term Council of State is a similar name that also m ...

to influence legislation on biotechnology. EuropaBio represents two sectors of the biotech industry. * White or industrial biotechnology is the application of biotechnology for industrial purposes, including manufacturing, alternative energy (or "bioenergy") biofuels, and biomaterials. * Red or healthcare biotechnology is the application of biotechnology for the production of medicines and therapies. EuropaBio's stated goals are: * promoting an innovative, coherent, and dynamic biotechnology-based industry in Europe; * advocating free and open markets and the removal of barriers to competitiveness with other areas of the world; * committing to an open, transparent, and informed dialogue with all stakeholders about the ethical, social, and economic aspects of biotechnology and its benefits; * championing the socially responsible use of biotechnology to ensure that its potential is fully used to the benefit of humans and their environment. EuropaBio's primary focus is the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...

but because of the global character of the biotech business, it also represents its members in transatlantic and worldwide forums.

Organisation

EuropaBio has a board of management made up of representatives from among its industry members. Since 2023, Dr. Sarah Reisinger representing dsm-firmenich is chair of the board. The board is assisted by sectoral councils representing the main segments of EuropaBio –

healthcare Health care, or healthcare, is the improvement or maintenance of health via the preventive healthcare, prevention, diagnosis, therapy, treatment, wikt:amelioration, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other disability, physic ...

(red biotech), and industrial (white biotech). Additionally, National Associations are represented through the National Associations Council. Experts from member companies and national associations participate in EuropaBio's working groups which cover a very wide range of issues and areas of concern of biotech enterprises. Since November 2020 EuropaBio Director General is Dr. Claire Skentelbery.

Members

In 2021, the association represents 79 corporate and associate members and BioRegions, and 17 national biotechnology associations in turn representing over 1800 biotech SMEs.

Citations

References

Transforming Europe’s position on GM food - ambassadors programme executive summary
The Guardian, Thursday 20 October 2011, Guardian News and Media Limited.
Biotech group bids to recruit high-profile GM 'ambassadors'
John Vidal and Hanna Gersmann,

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...

, Thursday 20 October 2011, Guardian News and Media Limited.
Draft letter from EuropaBio to potential GM ambassadors
The Guardian, Thursday 20 October 2011, Guardian News and Media Limited.

External links