www.checkbiotech.org ; www.raupp.info ; www.czu.cz

Plants are the main source of all food, feed and fibre in our world.
Consequently activities that improve our knowledge of plants and how to use
them in a more sustainable way are of vital importance to society, our
economy and our environment, December 2005.

An important step in promoting plant research was taken on 24th June 2004,
when the European Commission officially launched 'Plants for the Future' a
European Plant Sector Platform. This multidisciplinary grouping aims to
establish a long-standing public-private partnership to increase investment
on research and innovation and to boost European competitiveness in relevant
industrial sectors.

A wide group of stakeholders representing research institutions, industry,
farmers, the political sphere, financial world, regulatory authorities, as
well as consumer representatives have jointly published a Vision document
(PDF).

A detailed agenda setting out the research needed to deliver the vision has
been developed. This Strategic Research Agenda for 'Plants for the Future'
sets the scene for European agricultural research and development for the
next two decades.

"'Plants for the Future' is an important demonstration of how working
together can build competitiveness. "This joint effort of all those involved
in the agricultural production chain to identify and take into account
scientific and technological potential, market drivers and consumer demand
can only be positive for the future of the agricultural sector," according
to Janez Poto?nik, EU Commissioner for Science and Research.

"Plant genomics and biotechnology, as outlined in the Strategic Research
Agenda, will play a major role in ensuring sustainability of our economy
through renewable biological resources."

The Stakeholders Proposal for a Strategic Research Agenda (PDF) is being
discussed in EU wide Member State consultative forums, and is beginning to
influence Member State research funding in plant biotechnology. Already the
German Government has been actively using the Research Agenda to guide its
research spending plans. Others are set to follow.

The first Report on the Platform's first activities is available.

The research agenda aims to produce healthy, safe and sufficient food and
feed while securing sustainable agriculture and landscape, developing green
products such as biomaterials and biofuels and securing Europe´s
competitiveness, consumer choice and good governance.

The European agricultural value chain has more than 600 billion Euros of
turn-over each year, accounts for 8% of the European workforce, and includes
17 million farms. Research and application of plant genomics and
biotechnology will help foster this leading industrial sector and maintain
competitiveness in the face of some of the largest changes foreseen in the
coming years.

Plant science is a key technology in delivering a bio-based economy where
energy, raw materials and renewables are increasingly produced by the
agricultural sector in an environmentally sustainable way.

www.checkbiotech.org

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