Supporting Central and Eastern European Countries to Shape Bioeconomy Strategies

Involving all actors through an open and collaborative approach is key in fostering the adoption of bioeconomy strategies on a national level. Our CEE2ACT project tackles knowledge gaps and challenges related to such processes to facilitate better engagement and interconnection among actors across sectors and industries.

As part of the project, ten Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries are working toward developing national bioeconomy strategies. In 2023, National Bioeconomy Hubs (NBHs) were launched in all participating countries, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and Slovenia. In each country, different stakeholders, from ministries to industry leaders, gathered under the newly inaugurated hubs. For illustration, the Polish National Bioeconomy Hub assembles over 50 participants from 40 different institutions, companies, and organisations.

In the lead-up to the establishment of the hubs, the CSCP facilitated stakeholder mapping and conducted a pre-analysis in each country in order to tailor our support and address specific needs.

Starting from April 2024, the hubs are hosting a series of workshops to shape the path forward. Through bilateral meetings with national hub coordinators, the CSCP is assisting the countries to shape the workshop agendas, identify ways to overcome challenges, attract additional actors to the hubs, offer insights on optimal formats to use, conduct ad-hoc research if required, and tailor country-specific solutions.

In order to provide a space for countries to exchange their experiences and challenges, the CSCP has also facilitated a dynamic peer-to-peer exchange among hub coordinators. During this exchange, the hub coordinators delve into the lessons learnt and nuances of managing their respective NBHs, share insights on stakeholder engagement, industry and institutional involvement, operational challenges, and how to enhance diversity and inclusion.

Through these activities, the CSCP aims to cultivate a lasting impact in the CEE countries, equipping them with the tools and knowledge needed to navigate the intricate pathways towards effective stakeholder engagement for the development of robust bioeconomy strategies.

For more details on the CEE2ACT project and its work, please visit the project website.

For further questions, please contact Kartika Anggraeni.