Poland’s bioeconomy is anchored in agrifood, forestry, water, bioenergy and biomaterials, generating ~€38 billion in value added. The country is the EU’s 6th-largest food producer/exporter, with >2.8 million people across agriculture, food processing, beverages and tobacco. Forestry employs ~55k in silviculture/logging and ~460k in wood processing (~2.5% of total employment), with Poland ranking among Europe’s top producers of wood flooring, HDF/MDF, garden equipment and furniture (4th). Biogas output is rising on untapped waste/agricultural resources, while biofuels-driven by RED II-hold significant growth potential. JRC (2019) shows leading turnovers in food (€63 bn), agriculture (€29 bn), paper (€11 bn), wood products (€10 bn), beverages (€8 bn), wooden furniture (€6 bn) and tobacco (€6 bn); employment concentrates in agriculture (1.42 m), food (0.439 m) and wood products (0.134 m), with value added led by food and agriculture (each €11 bn). Inland aquaculture is dominated by carp and salmonids, with Poland the EU leader in carp production; large volumes of bio-waste offer innovation and bioenergy opportunities.

• Bioeconomy
• Biogas
• Poland

The Biobased Economy occupies an important place in the circular economy and is an extensive joint task for government, industry and knowledge institutions. It offers new opportunities for business and may become one of the spearheads of the national economy. Especially as the Netherlands is strong in chemistry, agro-food and logistics, the Biobased Economy is one of the ways in which the Netherlands can achieve green growth.

• Bioeconomy
• Circular
• Biobased

In 2014, Delphy and Rusthoeve jointly started the realisation of the Biobased Innovations Garden Rusthoeve with the following ambition: The BioBased Innovations Garden is internationally recognised as the Biobased Delta's breeding ground for innovation in the cultivation and application of new green raw materials in the processing industry. The Rusthoeve is therefore the place where (agricultural) entrepreneur(s), knowledge institutions and demand from the business community (construction and chemistry) meet and innovations emerge. To this end, knowledge institutes and companies have close ties and branch offices at the Rusthoeve.

• Biobased
• Innovation

The development of small-scale bio-based solutions holds significant potential for addressing local challenges, promoting sustainability. Collaboration is crucial in this context, as it can contribute significantly to the socio-economic development of rural areas, fostering resilience, sustainability, and improved quality of life for the communities involved. Considering the need to understand the needs for collaboration between the bio-based solutions adopters, more than 46 experts were surveyed which has a long practical experience in one of more Bioeconomy sectors (agriculture and food, forestry and manufacture of wood and furniture, water systems - fishery, aquaculture, manufacture of biomaterials and bio-based products, and bioenergy). The survey has been carried out in March-June 2023.

• Bioeconomy
• Area
• Rural

The Latvian Bioeconomy encompasses all 5 bioeconomy sectors which are the food and agriculture sector, forestry and wood production sector, bioenergy and biomaterials sector and fishing and aquaculture sector, employing 124 600 people and an added value of € 2.8 billion. The largest bioeconomy sector in Latvia in 2020 was the ‘forestry and wood production’ sector with € 1.3 billion added value (making 46.3% of total value added) and employing 45.96 thousand people. Currently, Latvia ranks 4th among European countries in terms of forest area per person.

• Bioeconomy
• Circular

Agriculture, food production and wood processing are the main sectors in the Slovenian bioeconomy. The Slovenian bioeconomy, worth €3 billion in 2020 and employing 115.8 thousand people, is based on 16 sectors, including traditional biomass production, processing of raw biomass, and transformation of processed biomass and bio-based materials. Agriculture, food production and wood processing are the main sectors, with bio-based chemicals and pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and food and beverage production each contributing around 20% of the total value added.

• Bioeconomy
• Biorefinery
• Circular economy

South-West Europe’s forest area reached ~31 million ha in 2021 (35% of SW EU land; ~20% of EU forests). Timber stocks increased by ~52% (2000–2021) to about 3 billion m³ (o.b.). Removals equalled ~46% of the net annual increment in 2021, with Portugal peaking at ~71%. The forestry & logging sector generated €4 billion GVA (0.12% of GDP) in 2021-about 36% lower share than in 2000-and employed ~67,300 people, down 14% since 2000. Salvage logging linked to droughts and wildfires has risen in affected Member States. Italy provided roughly €2 billion of the GVA, while Portugal led in GVA per forest area.

• Forests
• Area
• Forestry

Denmark’s bioeconomy spans food & agriculture, fishery, forestry, water, bioenergy and biomaterials, employing ~196,000 people with an added value of €41 billion. Primary agriculture employs ~62,000 (2.1% of the workforce), while the wider agri-bio chain employs ~188,000 (6.3%). The country counts 33,148 farms over 2.62 Mha (open-field crops 2.238 Mha, horticulture 20 kha). Livestock includes 567 k cows (incl. 82 k suckler cows), 13.16 M pigs (1.04 M sows), 135 k sheep and large poultry numbers. Forests cover 625 kha (14.5% of land), 75% privately owned across ~24,000 owners. Bioenergy supplies ~⅔ of renewable energy consumption via combustion, gasification, biogas and liquid biofuels; biogas output rose 40-45% (2016–2017) with 166 plants in operation. Exports (2020) total €37 billion (food 17% of national exports; bio-based 4%; agri-tech 2%). The timber sector contributes €4.2 billion GDP and 51,400 jobs. Policy targets include 30% renewable energy by 2025 and scaling advanced biofuels.

• Bioeconomy
• Biogas
• Biomass

The Dutch bioeconomy is driven by public–private investments under the Innovation Contract and TKI-BBE, leveraging world-class agrifood, chemical and energy sectors. The Netherlands handles >30 million tonnes of biocommodities annually across agriculture, forestry and residual streams. Near-term measures—expanding beet sugar acreage, better protein valorisation, and converting waste streams into biogas and fibre—could add ~4 million tonnes of bio-based feedstocks for materials, packaging, soil improvers and renewable energy, while reducing imports (e.g., animal feed, potting soil). The research agenda targets conversion technologies and direct solar routes from CO₂/H₂O, alongside socio-economic adoption, with growth conditioned on robust soil management and biodiversity protection.

• Biobased economy
• Biomass
• Sustainability

The document outlines biorefining as the eco-friendly conversion of biomass into marketable products that close material, water and carbon cycles within a circular bioeconomy. It references the IEA Bioenergy Task 42 classification and notes EU27 leaders-Finland, the Netherlands, Sweden and Italy - where biorefineries predominantly use secondary biomass. Feedstocks range from primary (e.g., aquatic biomass, dedicated specialty crops) to secondary (microbial biomass, agricultural and forestry residues, recycled bio-based products). Conversion routes include biochemical (notably fermentation and anaerobic digestion), chemical, thermochemical and mechanical processes, with bottom-up pathways that upgrade existing facilities.

• Bioeconomy
• Biorefinery
• Biomass