EXTERNAL JOURNAL

Dear readers, 

Welcome to this edition of the European Bioplastics (EUBP) External Journal. This Journal provides a snapshot of the activities, policy developments and collaborative initiatives that EUBP has carried out for the past six months. We hope it offers valuable insights into our work and the broader developments shaping the transition to a circular, competitive and sustainable European bioeconomy. 

Thank you for your interest in European Bioplastics. We hope you enjoy this edition of the Journal and look forward to welcoming you to our community - whether by participating in our events, following our work or becoming a member of European Bioplastics. 

Lorenza Romanese 

Secretary-General 

BOARD & SECRETARIAT

A New Board for the 2026-2029 Mandate

At the EUBP General Assembly in May 2026, members elected a new Board representing the diversity of the European bioplastics value chain.

• Franz Kraus – Novamont, Co-Chair
• Frédéric Van Gansberghe – Futerro, Co-Chair
• Afsaneh Nabifar – BASF, Vice-Chair
• Hugo Vuurens – CJ CheilJedang, Treasurer
•  Monica Battistella – Taghleef Industries
• Judith Hicks – Vioneo
• Irina Yarulina – Sulzer
• Myriam Moeyersons – Ingevity
• Celmira Sousa – NatureWorks 

* Picture from left to right: Afsaneh, Lorenza (Sec-Gen), Frédéric, Celmira, Franz & Miriam

EUBP Secretariat: Welcoming new members

EUBP also strengthened its Secretariat with the arrival of:

• Martina Calò (left), EU Project Manager
• Monica Solano (right), Office and Members Manager 

Their expertise will support the association’s expanding activities in European projects, member engagement, and operational coordination. 

EVENTS

European Bioplastics Conference 2026

Preparations for the European Bioplastics Conference 2026 (EBC26) in Berlin 1-2 December are progressing rapidly, with strong engagement from across the bioplastics value chain. 

The Call for Abstracts has now closed, following an impressive response from industry experts, researchers, and innovators from Europe and beyond. The submitted contributions reflect the dynamic developments shaping the sector, with a wide range of topics covering innovation, circularity, policy developments, and new applications for bioplastics. 

With the programme taking shape, EBC26 is set to offer a comprehensive platform for knowledge exchange, networking, and discussion on the future of the circular bioeconomy. 

Sponsorship opportunities are currently available for organisations wishing to increase their visibility and connect with key stakeholders from across the bioplastics community. Registration is also open, with tickets available for participants looking to join this leading industry event. 

In parallel, EUBP launched the European Bioplastics Innovation Award 2026, which will highlight breakthrough technologies, innovative solutions, and emerging companies contributing to the transition towards a circular bioeconomy. The deadline to apply is 30th of August via email: conference@european-bioplastics.org 

EUBP Talks Series 2026

One of the major new initiatives of 2026 has been the EUBP Talks Series, focusing on bioplastics applications beyond traditional packaging. 

Sessions have already explored:

• Construction
• Fibres and textiles
• Consumer goods
• Automotive applications
• Agriculture
• Medical devices and hygiene products 

The Series Webinar – open to everyone and available online - has attracted strong participation from across the value chain and demonstrates the growing role of bioplastics in multiple industrial sectors.  

The talks will be resumed in March 2027 and freely open to all public.  

Industry Visibility at Interpack 2026

In May, EUBP organised the guided tour “Packaging Futures” at Interpack in Düsseldorf. 

The initiative brought together industry professionals to discover innovative bioplastics solutions directly on the exhibition floor and created valuable opportunities for networking and knowledge exchange. The tour was organised for a maximum of 25 participants to give visibility to our members and the work they are doing to innovate in the bioplastics sector. The participation was strongly industry-driven, with participants coming from companies (80%), academia (10%), international organisations (5%) and public-private partnerships (5%).

More information about this initiative can be found here.

POLICIES

Strengthening Europe’s Bioeconomy Agenda

During the first half of 2026, European Bioplastics remained actively engaged in shaping the European policy framework for biobased, biodegradable and compostable plastics. Our advocacy focused on ensuring that upcoming legislation supports market uptake, innovation, and investment towards a competitive circular bioeconomy. 

A major priority was the implementation of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). Throughout the implementation phase and start of secondary legislation, EUBP engaged with the European Commission, Member States, industry partners and other stakeholders to advocate for clear and science-based rules on biobased content, compostable packaging, labelling and design for recycling. These discussions will play an important role in determining how bioplastics contribute to Europe's circular packaging system in the coming years. 

EUBP also actively contributed to the evaluation of the Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD), promoting a more proportionate and evidence-based approach to certified biodegradable plastics. Through consultations and dialogue with policymakers, we continued to highlight the need for legislation that recognises the specific environmental benefits of these materials where scientifically justified. 

Another key focus was the preparation of the Biotech Act II, where EUBP advocated for ambitious market-pull measures, stronger demand for biobased products and a coherent policy framework that supports industrial scale-up and investment across Europe. Once the proposal is out (Q4 2026), we’ll continue to engage during the co-legislative procedure. 

In parallel, EUBP contributed to the work of the Critical Chemicals Alliance, helping ensure that biobased plastics are recognised as strategic solutions for strengthening Europe's resilience, competitiveness and access to sustainable carbon. 

Beyond these legislative files, EUBP participated in numerous expert groups (for example the expert group of Waste), Commission consultations and high-level bioeconomy dialogues, reinforcing the voice of the bioplastics sector in discussions on industrial competitiveness, circularity and Europe's transition towards a sustainable bioeconomy. 

International outreach

EUBP increased its international engagement through participation in events and consultations involving global organisations and policymakers.

A notable milestone was EUBP’s contribution to discussions linked to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, where biodegradable agricultural applications were highlighted as examples of innovation supporting more sustainable farming systems.

SUSTAINABILITY

Recycling of packaging made from biodegradable plastic

Packaging made from biodegradable plastics has the potential to be organically or materially recycled.  

In support of a future material recycling option for packaging made from biodegradable plastic, EUBP (as liaison organisation to the European Standardisation body, CEN) has worked hard and has been fundamental in the creation of four new draft Technical Specifications for the Design for Recycling of packaging made from biodegradable plastics. These draft specifications are still subject to an approval vote, later in the year.  will be voted on in the second part of the year.  EUBP has also closely liaised with the Joint Research Centre (JRC) on this topic.  The JRC will be providing input to the European Commission for the eventual PPWR Delegated Act on this topic of Design for Recycling. 

EU PROJECTS

European R&I Projects Driving the Transition 

EU-funded R&I projects generate scientific evidence to support bioplastics development and application, inform EU policy and standardisation work, and reinforce our public affairs positioning with validated research results. They also help connect the innovation ecosystem, anticipate emerging technologies and regulatory trends, reduce market risks, and support further project funding. The following are where the association has a direct role: BIO4COAT, INSOIL, Be-UP, GRECO, BioSupPack, ReBioCycle and MoeBIOS. The funding of these projects also allows EUBP to connect members and RTOs, academia and industries for the scale-up of innovative results.  

Milestones achieved during this period

• The INSOIL project is advancing the development of a new generation of biodegradable polymers for in-soil agricultural products: PHBV has emerged as a highly promising candidate due to its biodegradability and adaptable properties. Two grades of PHBV have been produced, each differing in monomer composition and mechanical and thermal behaviour. The evaluation of additional biodegradable polymers, such as second-generation biopolyesters, that may be blended with PHBV is ongoing. Read more in the newsletter here.

• In the packaging project Be-UP teams work on the synthesis of novel biodegradable polymers and blends for flexible food packaging films, thermoformed food trays, injected beverage pods and cosmetic jars, to achieve a reduction in polymerisation times for new aliphatic-aromatic biopolyesters. Discover more about the project here.

• Connecting to start-ups and innovators: A vibrant discussion took place at the event “The Future of Plastics is Bio and It’s Recyclable!”, held in Berlin on 1 July 2026 and organised within the framework of the ReBioCycle, MoeBIOS and PROSPER projects. The roadshow brought together startups and SMEs to explore the advantages of switching to bioplastics, combining accessible introductions to the topic with the latest recycling results. The outcomes of the discussion are here. Check out the presentations here. 

• The EUBP clusters are project portfolios that organise online exchanges on expert topics related to alternative feedstocks, coatings and films, bioplastic recycling, packaging, and agricultural applications. EUBP facilitated a Coating Cluster event on coatings feedstock on 14 April 2026. The event proceedings are available here. These highlight emerging opportunities and trends for companies working on sourcing sustainable materials for their coatings.  

• The Bioplastics Recycling Cluster brings together ReBioCycle, MoeBIOS and PROSPER, from September 2025 to March 2026, hosted a series of talks on cost-competitive sorting and recycling solutions for bioplastics, covering topics such as NIR and digital sorting, design for recycling, PLA sorting models, microbial recycling and certification schemes; the next cycle will start again in September, focusing on novel recycling approaches. Register for the talk on 8th September 2026 here. 

CONCLUSIONS

Looking Ahead

The second half of 2026 will be shaped by:

• Further implementation of the PPWR
• Continued dialogue on European bioeconomy and biotech policies
• Expansion of the EUBP Talks Series
• Resuming of the Bioplastics Recycling Cluster talks focusing on recycling technologies and advacements
• Workshop at the Renewable Materials Conference
• Preparation for EBC26, including the side-event, and the Innovation Award finals
• Resuming of the online meetings on “Funding opportunities” to discover new opportunities for accessing EU-funds
• Continuation of the Touch Bases for the members to discover opportunities for scaling up of results emerging from EU-funded projects.  
• Have your say online sessions for packaging producers, textile producers and agricultural material producers to have a say on the recyclability of bioplastics (14 October 2026) 

Final Note

August 2026 

With a renewed Board, an expanding project portfolio, and increasing engagement in European policy discussions, European Bioplastics continues to work towards a competitive, innovative, and sustainable bioplastics industry that contributes to Europe’s circular bioeconomy objectives.

Thank you for your continued support, engagement, and commitment to advancing a sustainable and circular bioplastics industry.

The EUBP team.

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