Bioeconomy Policy

Ireland’s first national Bioeconomy Action Plan was published during Bioeconomy Ireland Week 2023. The ‘Bioeconomy Action Plan 2023-2025’ includes 33 actions to accelerate support for the development of the bioeconomy. The plan has a high focus on bringing sustainable scientific practices, technologies and biobased innovation and solutions into use on farms and by biobased industries in Ireland.

The Bioeconomy Action Plan 2023-2025 can be viewed hereunder:

Publication and Press Release

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue T.D. and Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan T.D. announced the Bioeconomy Action Plan for the period 2023-2025. The publication of the Action Plan, to coincide with Bioeconomy Ireland Week 2023, signalled strong intent to accelerate sustainable bioeconomy development to support climate action. To view the full press release, please click here.

Public Consultation

As part of the development of the Bioeconomy Action Plan, a public consultation was open for nine weeks between 24 November 2022 and 27 January 2023. To read the Consultation and Discussion Document, and to view the consultation submissions, please see Bioeconomy Action Plan Consultation (www.gov.ie)

The current Programme for Government 2025 - Securing Ireland's Future – identifies the importance of the bioeconomy and underscores Ireland’s vision to be a global leader in bioeconomy. It specifically call out an objective to develop Ireland’s bioeconomy through a coordinated approach that harnesses Ireland’s natural resources and competitive advantage.

This commitment is further recognised within Government strategies and polices such as Food Vision 2030, Climate Action Planning, Our Rural Future 2021-2025 and Impact 2030.

The National Development Plan, Project Ireland 2040, is the government's €116 billion development plan which is underpinned by a 20 year planning framework. It highlights the potential of the circular bioeconomy in promoting more efficient use of renewable resources, while supporting economic development and employment in rural Ireland.

As part of Project 2040, and following a public consultation process the government published the first National Policy Statement on the Bioeconomy in March 2018.

Through this commitment the government recognises that the bioeconomy is crucial for decarbonisation, sustainability and circularity, while also providing an impetus to competiveness and rural and regional development and employment.

More information on the National Policy Statement on the Bioeconomy can be found here.

The National Policy Statement on the Bioeconomy can be viewed hereunder:

EU Bioeconomy strategy

In November 2025, the EU Commission published a new Bioeconomy Strategy: ‘A Strategic Framework for a Competitive and Sustainable EU Bioeconomy’. It aims to foster a clean, competitive and resilient European economy reducing its dependency on fossil fuels.

The new Strategy builds on previous work of the Commission. The implementation of the 2012 bioeconomy strategy and its update in 2018 achieved significant progress in research and innovation. A 2022 progress report showed that the actions of the 2018 Bioeconomy Strategy were on track to achieve their main objectives, while identifying areas where further action was needed.

Stronger development of the bioeconomy will help the EU accelerate progress towards a circular and low-carbon economy. It will help modernise and strengthen the EU industrial base, creating new value chains and greener, more cost-effective industrial processes, while protecting biodiversity and the environment.

EU-funded bioeconomy innovations show the bioeconomy’s role in fostering circularity, adapting to and mitigating climate change, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and decreasing pollutants. They create jobs and income opportunities, particularly for farmers and foresters, and support a greener, more resilient future.

For more information, see Bioeconomy - EU Commission

Knowledge Centre for Bioeconomy

The Knowledge Centre for Bioeconomy seeks to support policymaking by identifying, filtering and structuring relevant information and making it accessible. The centre brings together researchers, policymakers and other experts in the field. It also works by analysing, synthesising available evidence and communicating it in a transparent, tailored and concise manner.

For more information, please visit Bioeconomy (europa.eu).

SCAR Bioeconomy Strategic Working Group

The Bioeconomy Strategic Working Group is a thematic working group under the Standing Committee on Agricultural Research (SCAR). The SCAR was established in 1974 by a Regulation of the Council of the European Union. It is formed by representatives of the Member States, Candidate and Associated Countries.

For more information, please visit SCAR Bioeconomy

The European Bioeconomy Network

The European Bioeconomy Network is an alliance of 140 EU funded projects and initiatives dealing with Bioeconomy promotion, communication and support. The main goal is to maximise the efforts, increasing the knowledge sharing, networking, mutual learning, coordination of joint activities and events.

For more information, please visit The European Bioeconomy Network.

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