Attendance is by invitation only
DESCRIPTION & OBJECTIVES TENTATIVE PROGRAMME
As the EU enters a new political cycle, the focus must rapidly shift from vision to action. What policy and market conditions are needed to scale up the bioeconomy? The Conference will explore how bio-based materials are already being deployed by Europe’s industry, from packaging to textiles, and how they can contribute to strategic autonomy and industrial competitiveness. The forest-based industry particularly is a frontrunner in the bioeconomy, while the pulp and paper sector leads in innovative cross-sectoral applications.
TENTATIVE PROGRAMME*
*The programme and timings are provisional and subject to change based on speakers’ availability.
8:30 – Registrations (30 mins)
9:00 – Welcome and opening remarks (10 min)
9:10 – Opening Keynote Speech by High-Level Representative from the European
Commission - TBC
9:30 – Keynote Dialogue: Bioeconomy across sectors: from textiles to bio-based chemicals
(30 mins)
High-Level Representative from the Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry,
Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW), European Commission - TBC
Nicoló Giacomuzzi – Moore, Executive Director at Circular Bio-based Europe Joint
Undertaking
Massimo Reynaudo, CEO of UPM
Carlos Aníbal de Almeida Junior, First Deputy Chairman of Lenzing
10:00 – Panel 1: “Paperisation” from plastics to paper in packaging – an example of a
bioeconomy transition at global scale (45 mins)
Emmanuelle Maire, Head of Unit for Bioeconomy & Sustainable Materials, Directorate-General for Environment (DG ENV), European Commission
Member of the European Parliament
Abhijeet Bhattacharya, Nestlé Group Leader & Expert Fiber-based Packaging
Jussi Vanhanen, CEO of Metsä
10:45 – Coffee break
11:15 – Panel 2: Access to forest resources: aligning climate, bioeconomy and industrial
policy (45 mins)
Michael Losch, Principal Administrator and Coordinator for Bioeconomy in the
Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI), European
Commission
High-Level Representative from a Member State Permanent Representation to the EU
Member of the European Parliament, Committee on Environment, Climate and Food
Safety (ENVI) - TBC
Henrik Sjölund, CEO of Holmen
12:00 – Focus session: Bioeconomy for EU well-being: the tissue paper contribution (40
mins)
High-Level Representative from the Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG
SANTE), European Commission - TBC
Volker Zöller, President Consumer Goods EMEA | Essity Group
Kerstin Erbe, Managing Director DM (dm-drogerie markt)
Sari Pajari-Sederholm, CEO of Metsä Tissue
Elke Gijsbrecht, Sustainability expert at Colruyt
12:45 – Closing Dialogue: Connecting sectoral dynamics with policy integration in the
bioeconomy (20 mins)
High-Level Representative from the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural
Development (DG AGRI), European Commission - TBC
Marco Eikelenboom, Sappi Europe CEO, Cepi Chairman
13:05 - Informal Networking Reception
14:00 - End of the conference
