Circular bioeconomy strategies: A comparative analysis at a European level

Abstract

In the last decade, the circular bioeconomy (CBE) has been appearing on the political agenda with incre-asing intensity, both at the international and EU level, as well as at the national and regional level. In this paper, a comparative analysis of CBE strategies in a selection of countries (Austria, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Latvia, and the United Kingdom) and regions in Europe (Baden-Württemberg (DE), Anda-lusia (ES), Pays de la Loire (FR), Flanders (BE), and Mazovia (PO)) is carried out to identify common and specific aspects. From the analysis, a “typical” strategy could be defined. It would be driven by the public administration, would involve a wide range of sectors (especially the primary sector and the bioindustries), and would employ a variety of policy instruments including communication and awareness-raising actions, education and training of workers and entrepreneurs, positive incentives (e.g., R&D&I support), techni-cal assistance and coordination of initiatives, and regulatory simplification. Additionally, recommenda-tions are made towards improving the effectiveness and sustainability of future CBE strategies.