The Biotechnology for Europe Study

Abstract

Modern biotechnology is one of the key enabling technologies of the 21st century with a potentially wide range of applications in e.g. healthcare, agriculture and industrial processes, and a significant contribution to major advances in basic sciences. It is evident that modern biotechnology provides new opportunities to address many needs and could thus serve as a major contributor in achieving European Union policy goals on economic growth and job creation, public health, environmental protection and sus-tainable development . However, recent analyses suggest that the actual adoption of modern biotechnology by various European industry sectors may be lower than anticipated, although data on the actual uptake of modern biotechnology by various sectors (e.g. health, agriculture and environment) and its socio-economic consequences in Europe is still scarce. Against this background, and following a request of the European Parliament, the European Commission is carrying out an assessment of modern biotechnology applica-tions and their consequences, opportunities and challenges for Europe in terms of eco-nomic, social and environmental aspects. This Biotechnology for Europe Study (Bio4EU) will constitute the primary input to the reflection on the role of the Life Sci-ences and Biotechnology in the renewed Lisbon Agenda , and it is executed by the Joint Research Centre's Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS).