Building the European Knowledge Based Bio-Economy - The Impact of 'Non-Food' Research (1988 to 2008)

Softcover + CD-ROM  CD-ROM plus booklet  ISBN 9781872691336/343      £10.00

It is based on the experience of the author working for the Commission, or participating in a wide range of different types of contracts, over a period of more than 25 years , covering various activities relating to renewable bioproducts and renewable energy together with an analysis of the information on EU RTD projects in the area of biomass energy and renewable bioproducts that have been collected within the BioMatNet database and website.

The main purpose of the report is to outline the extent of previous activities in these areas, review their impact on the development of bio-based products in Europe and to consider what lessons can be learned from such previous activities and to what extent they should be considered in relation to the work programme for the Seventh RTD Framework Programme (FP7). This analysis is of relevance to work proposed within the theme of the Cooperation Programme covering Food Agriculture, Fisheries and Biotechnology, the primary purpose of which is to contribute to the realisation of European Knowledge Based Bio-Economy (KBBE).

The report consists of a 55 page printed summary supported by a more detailed analysis on CD-ROM. As indicated above, the CD-ROM has been prepared on the basis of information that has been collected over the last two decades through a series of information dissemination projects supported by the EC. The latest of these, which funded the production of this review, was the EPOBIO project incorporating BioMatNet. The information collected, as well as a series of EPOBIO flagship reports, have been brought together on another CD-ROM (BioMatNet CD7), from which further details of the programmes and projects as well as many of the publications cited in this review may be obtained.