NEWS

The update of the EU bioeconomy strategy is crucial to enable scientists and innovators across Europe to collaborate to generate knowledge relevant to bioeconomy, to apply this knowledge to address todays and future challenges and to help building a strong, competitive and resilient, inclusive and democratic European society and improving life on earth.

We want to underline the role of plants and plant-based processes in the context of a circular regenerative and competitive bioeconomy. To this end, we provide in the submission text and the additional position paper input from three EPSO Working Groups:

• Plant Factories
• Plants and Microbiomes
• Horticulture

Looking forward to further collaborating with policy makers and stakeholders towards a circular regenerative and competitive bioeconomy in the EU.
Holger and Heiko, Angela, Monique and Karin

WG chairs: Holger Spiegel, Heiko Rischer, Angela Sessitsch, Monique van Wordragen
EPSO Executive Director: Karin Metzlaff

Click here to read:

Full EPSO Position Paper ‘Contributions from plant research and innovation to EU circular regenerative and competitive bioeconomy’, 23.6.2025
EPSO short submission text to the EC consultation, 23.6.2025

Contacts:

EPSO Plant Factories WG chairs: Heiko Rischer, VTT, FI; Holger Spiegel, Fraunhofer IME, DE; Johannes Buyel, BOKU University, AT; Dirk Bosch & Katarina Cankar, WUR,  NL.
EPSO Plants and Microbiomes WG chairs: Angela Sessitsch, AIT, AT; Corné Pieterse, Utrecht University, NL.
EPSO Horticulture WG chair: Monique van Wordragen, WUR, NL.
EPSO: Karin Metzlaff, EPSO Executive Director.

Plant factories are a fairly recent development / sector with high potential that needs critical mass funding for research and innovation as well as support to clarify / improve the regulatory framework and enhance consumer engagement to succeed and contribute to food and nutritional security, biodiversity, human health, environmental sustainability, bioeconomy and well-being.

Plant factories are plant-based systems for the circular, regenerative and competitive production of biomolecules and raw materials for industrial purposes. They represent a transformative approach and comprise diverse sustainable approaches leveraging controlled environments to optimize resource use and minimize environmental impact. The systems include plant cell and tissue cultures in bioreactors as well as closed and open greenhouse, vertical farm and on-farm plant production. They offer significant benefits across various sectors, including food, nutraceuticals, feed, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and biomaterials. Plant factories can produce nutrient enriched diets, functional foods, dietary supplements, and high-quality feed, promoting human and animal health by addressing nutritional deficiencies. They can also generate sustainable bio-stimulants, biopesticides, and biofertilizers, reducing reliance on synthetic products in agriculture. Urban integration of location-independent plant factories supports local economies and reduces transportation emissions.

Within this frame, the Plant Factories WG proposes to join efforts in their group and with other stakeholders on three major areas of action:

• Help addressing major societal needs: sustainable production, food security, human and animal health
• Develop plant factories applications, production platforms and markets
• Advance research and development, technological development, scalability and markets,  policy and regulatory environment for plant factories.

Looking forward to further collaborating with you in the Plant Factories WG

Heiko, Holger, Johannes, Dirk, Katja and Karin

Plant Factories WG chairs: Heiko Rischer, Holger Spiegel, Johannes Buyel, Dirk Bosch and Katarina Cankar

EPSO Executive Director: Karin Metzlaff

Click here to read: Full ‘EPSO Plant Factories statement’

Contacts:
EPSO Plant Factories WG chairs:
Heiko Rischer, VTT, FI
Holger Spiegel, Fraunhofer IME, DE
Johannes Buyel, BOKU University, AT
Dirk Bosch & Katarina Cankar, WUR,  NL
EPSO:    Karin Metzlaff, EPSO Executive Director