The Commission yesterday adopted the Communication “Towards a strong and sustainable EU seaweed sector”, a pioneering initiative to unlock the potential of seaweed in the European Union. The Communication proposes 23 actions to create the opportunities to turn this industry into a strong, sustainable and regenerative sector capable of meeting the EU’s growing demand. The EU is one of the world’s largest importers of seaweed products, with demand expected to reach 9 billion euros by 2030, especially in sectors such as food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and energy production.
Twenty-three actions to boost the algae sector
The Commission identifies 23 actions aimed at improving business environments, increasing social awareness and consumer acceptance of seaweed and seaweed products, and filling gaps in knowledge, research and technology. Some of the key actions are as follows:
- develop a new set of tools for algae growers;
- facilitate access to marine space, identify optimal sites for seaweed farming, and include seaweed farming and multiple uses of the sea in maritime management plans;
- together with the European Committee for Standardization (CEN), to develop standards for algae ingredients and contaminants, as well as for algae biofuels;
- evaluate the market potential, efficiency and safety of algae-based materials when used in fertilizer products;
- examine the algae market and propose mechanisms to stimulate it to support technology transfer from research to the market;
- financing pilot projects for professional reorientation and support to SMEs and innovative projects in the algae sector;
- conduct studies and discussions to gain a better understanding of, among other things, the climate change mitigation opportunities offered by algae and their role as blue carbon sinks, and define maximum levels of contaminants and iodine in algae;
- to support, through Horizon Europe and other EU research programs, the development of new and improved algae processing systems, new production methods and algae cultivation systems;
- promote awareness actions and analyze the availability of data related to algae.
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Individuals and organizations active in the algae sector will be key partners for the implementation of the proposed actions. All stakeholders are invited to participate in the EU4Algae forum, launched by the Commission in February this year.
Next steps
The Commission will discuss yesterday’s Communication with the European Parliament and the Council. The Commission will coordinate the implementation of the 23 actions with Member States, industry (e.g. through the EU4Algae Forum) and other relevant stakeholders.
The Commission will prepare a report assessing the progress made in the implementation of the Communication, to be ready by the end of 2027.
Context
At the end of 2019, the European Commission’s Blue Bioeconomy Forum published Roadmap for the blue bioeconomy [“Hoja de ruta para la economía azul”, document not available in Spanish], after consulting some three hundred stakeholders. The roadmap concluded that the development of algae farming has been hampered by factors such as high production costs, small scale of production, limited knowledge of markets, consumer needs and environmental impacts of algae farming, as well as a fragmented governance framework. Following the roadmap, the Commission has launched and supported several algae-related initiatives, which are currently in the implementation or planning phase (2021-2023). For example, the Commission created the European Algae Stakeholder Forum (EU4Algae Forum) in February 2022 as a unique space for collaboration between European algae stakeholders and a single hub for information on funding calls, projects, business information, algae intelligence and best practices.
Algae have a wide variety of commercial applications, such as food, animal and fish feed, pharmaceuticals, organic packaging or biofuels.
Microalgae farming can help regenerate the ocean and seas by removing nutrients that cause eutrophication. It has a low carbon and environmental footprint and promising potential for carbon sequestration. Microalgae production can also be done on land and away from the sea. They are a source of carbon compounds and have applications in wastewater treatment and atmospheric CO2 mitigation.
Thus, a stronger European seaweed sector would support the objectives of the European Green Deal and the Farm to Fork Strategy, as we need to move towards more sustainable food systems and a more circular economy.
For further information: European Commission
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