BIO Deutschland publishes recommendations for the From Biology to Innovation agenda

Press release of 10 September 2018

The sector association of the biotechnology industry BIO Deutschland used the first parliamentary week after the summer break to call for a swift implementation of the From Biology to Innovation agenda. The German government committed itself in the coalition agreement to promoting the application of the principles of nature and to drawing up an interministerial agenda entitled “From Biology to Innovation” in collaboration with industry, science and civil society. The sector association released guidelines for drafting and implementing this agenda.

Peter Heinrich, chairman of the board of BIO Deutschland, says: “Biotechnology provides the bridge from biological discoveries to the translation of these discoveries into innovations. The From Biology to Innovation agenda should therefore take into account this vital role of biotechnology and be supported by concrete measures. The guiding principles for the use of biotechnology in our society should be defined as part of this agenda, with the aim of building a sustainable, environmentally friendly and CO₂-neutral economy. Economic and innovation policy must be a key element of the agenda.” BIO Deutschland’s Managing Director Viola Bronsema adds: “Germany has the opportunity to establish biotechnology as a further industrial pillar so as to leverage the economic potential of this technology for a sustainable, innovative economy and for the benefit of the German people. As the government recently announced as part of the High-Tech Strategy 2025, the From Biology to Innovation agenda is scheduled to be launched in 2019. In order to provide guidance on implementation, we have grouped our recommendations into five packages of measures. We outline – under the headings agenda setting, location attractiveness, economic policy framework, networking and entrepreneurialism ‒ how we can achieve the biological transformation of industry and thus create a bioeconomy.” 

The guidelines for the interministerial agenda From Biology to Innovation can be found at: www.biodeutschland.org/de/biotechnologieagenda.html (in German only)