BiobasedCert Workshop

The BIOBASEDCERT Research Cluster will hold 2 back-2-back events on the 4th of December in Brussels.

The morning session will be a continuation of the roundtable for certification schemes, this time focusing on the exchange between policy makers and representatives of sustainability certification schemes in the EU Bioeconomy.

The afternoon session will introduce policymakers to a new tool developed by this cluster to support the EU bioeconomy governance.

Date and location:

4th of December in Brussels

• Morning Session: 9:30 am to 12:00 pm with certification schemes and policy makers.

• Lunch: 12:00-13:00.

• Afternoon Session: 13:00-15:00 Session specific for policy makers for deeper discussion and feedback on the cluster developed Monitoring system for sustainability schemes and labels.

Location: BIP Meeting Centre - House of the Capital Region, Room: Zinneke, 2-4 Rue Royale, Brussels (Place Royale)

Targeted audience:

This event is designed for representatives from bioeconomy certification schemes, EU policymakers, regulatory bodies and researchers committed to advancing sustainable bioeconomy practices.

Morning session objectives:

The morning session offers a unique possibility to exchange with representatives from relevant certification schemes and certification bodies, which are active in different sectors of the EU Bioeconomy. In an exchange between policy makers and representatives from various EC directorates with certification schemes we want to discuss the role of certification in upcoming legislation and policy instruments.

Agenda morning session:

9:30 – Opening and Welcome Address (Stefania Rocca – REA and Stefan Majer - DBFZ)

• Overview of the event’s objectives and importance of certification in bioeconomy governance.

9:40 – Tour de Table

• Participant introductions

9:50 – Keynote 1: " The Bioeconomy in the Near Future" (Adrian Leip – DG RTD)

10:10 – Open Discussion based on Keynote and Guiding Questions

• Dialogue on how certification schemes can support emerging regulatory needs.

10:45 – Summary of Discussion 11:50 – An introduction to the BIOBASEDCERT Monitoring System (BMS) (Iris Vural Gursel, WR)

11:00 – Break

11:10 – Keynote 2: "The Role of Certification – Possibilities and Limitations" – (Maira Devisscher – ISEAL)

11:25 – Open Discussion

• Exploration of certification’s strengths, challenges, and potential enhancements.

11:50 – Summary and Outlook to the Next Roundtable

12:00 – Closing Remarks and Lunch Break (Stefan Majer - DBFZ)

Afternoon session objectives:

Emerging sustainability legislation in the EU recognises the potential role of voluntary certification schemes and labels in the transition to a circular bioeconomy. But there are many certification schemes and labels applicable to biobased supply chains, with varying levels of robustness and effectiveness. Over the last two years, the BIOBASEDCERT Research Cluster has developed a tool to assess the performance of these schemes against a range of criteria, from the way they are governed to the content of their standards and how they monitor their impact. This afternoon session is an opportunity to discuss how the tool can support policymakers increase uptake of sustainable bio-based material in the EU economy. We’ll explore potential uses, the content of the tool, and the functionalities that are essential to maximise the value of the tool, including how the results should be communicated to users. This will be an interactive session, but participants do not need to have prior experience with benchmarking of sustainability initiatives. Detailed agenda to follow.

Agenda afternoon session:

13:00 - 13:10 – Opening and objectives of the workshop (Luana Ladu – TU Berlin)

13:10 - 13-25 – The value of monitoring tools for sustainability certification (Silvia Maltagliati – DG RTD; Sergio Ugarte – SQ Consult)

13:25 - 13:45– The BMS levels and how they were developed (Iris Vural Gursel -WR, Nikola Matovic – TU Berlin, Laura Väyrynen – ECOS, Maulidia Khairani - UU)

13:45 - 14-15 – Open discussion on the potential uses of the BMS (moderated by Martin Junginger – UU)

14:15 - 14-50 – Consultation on the presentation of the BMS results (Maira Devisscher – ISEAL)

14:50 – 15:00 Final remarks and way forward (Luana Ladu – TU Berlin)