Bioeconomy Council adopts rules of procedure and forms working groups

In its second two-day virtual working meeting, the Bioeconomy Council of the Federal Government adopted rules of procedure for the Council, set up several working groups and exchanged information and views with ministries dealing with the bioeconomy. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) are taking the lead, while the Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection (BMJV), the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) play a consultative role.

Jürgen Eck, BIO Deutschland board member and co-CEO of SymbioPharm; Ralf Kindervater, Managing Director of BIOPRO Baden-Württemberg; and Viola Bronsema, Managing Director of BIO Deutschland; are the three members of the 20-member Bioeconomy Council who represent business interests. Iris Lewandowski, Chair of Biobased Resources in the Bioeconomy and Chief Bioeconomy Officer (CBO) at the University of Hohenheim; and Daniela Thrän, Deputy Scientific Managing Director and Head of the Bioenergy Systems Department at the German Biomass Research Center (DBFZ); are the co-Chairs of the Bioeconomy Council. Beatrix Tappeser, former State Secretary; and Markus Wolperdinger, Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology (IGB); serve as Vice-Chairs. Council members are appointed for three years of service.