Technological Corporation of Andalusia (CTA) has been included as one of the key players (specifically, as one of the three clusters highlighted in Spain) in the online interactive map of the European bioeconomy published by the European Commission (EC). This is an online analysis of the situation and the main stakeholders to help design public policies in this area.

The interactive map has been prepared by the JRC Knowledge Center for Bioeconomy (EC dependent body). It indicates the degree of progress of the countries in the development of a National Bioeconomy Strategy and places Spain at the highest level, with its own strategy already under way.

In addition, the national institutions involved in bioeonomy, other agencies, stakeholders and the keys to regional and national bioeconomy strategies in each country can be consulted.

In Spain, CTA is highlighted together with SBIOC (national) and Food+i (Valle del Ebro) as relevant clusters, within the main stakeholders in the field of industry and research in the Spanish bioeconomy.

The analysis published by the EC also makes it possible to consult the main figures of the European bioeconomy by country and Spain is ranked as the fifth European country in terms of turnover in this sector (€198.4 billion) and added value (€57.9 billion) and as sixth country by employment in this sector, with 1.33 million people.

The bioeconomy covers those parts of the economy that use renewable biological resources from land and sea (crops, forests, animals and microorganisms) to produce food, materials and energy. The European Commission is strongly promoting its development because of its great potential to generate wealth and reduce unemployment and its ability to reduce polluting emissions and dependence on fossil resources, while contributing to improving biodiversity and can help restore degraded ecosystems.

CTA is a reference entity with expertise in bioeconomy, backed by its participation in several projects funded by the European Commission in this area, its activity in the Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking (BBI JU) as a member of the Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC) and more than 14 years of biotechnology promotion at andalusian level.

CTA participates as a partner in European projects related to the bioeconomy such as SuperBIO, EXCornsEED, ICT-BIOCHAIN or UrBIOfuture, dedicated, among other topics, to accelerate value chains in this area, to develop new bioproducts, digitise biomass supply chains and promote the adaptation of training in Europe to guide professional careers towards this growing sector.

In addition, CTA is a full member of the European BIC Consortium, a Brussels-based entity that represents the private sector within BBI JU, which is responsible for mobilising this sector in collaboration with the EC. The membership in this consortium allows CTA to contribute to the European strategic agenda in bioeconomy.

The interactive map of the European bioeconomy can be found here.