Working Group on the Industrial Bioeconomy Meets in Berlin

The Working Group on the Industrial Bioeconomy met at BIO Deutschland’s offices in central Berlin on 26 February. Katrin Rübberdt, biotechnology spokesperson at DECHEMA, who was invited as a guest speaker, gave a presentation on the Biotechnology Association (Fachgemeinschaft Biotechnologie) in DECHEMA and on its past and future activities. After the presentation, the working group discussed various ways of restarting joint activities with DECHEMA. There was also discussion on the recently published book Irrweg Bioökonomie, which criticises the bioeconomy, and on a suitable way of participating in the discourse on this book. A well-founded compilation of the contribution made by biotechnology to sustainability will form an important basis for responding to further publications. Other topics on the agenda included the current discussion on labelling requirements for food produced using genetically modified organisms. The working group will continue to follow this topic closely and will establish a position on it.