Final Symposium

GeneBEcon is a Horizon Europe-funded project under the Clean Environment and Zero Pollution domain, dedicated to shaping the future of circular, bio-based agrifood systems. By harnessing the power of New Genomic Techniques (NGTs), the project delivers climate-smart innovations for agriculture and aquaculture, supporting the objectives of the European Green Deal and the Circular Economy Action Plan. 

As GeneBEcon reaches its conclusion, the project’s final symposium serves as a key moment to share its scientific and policy-relevant achievements. The event presents the project’s main results, demonstrating how NGTs can contribute to more resilient, sustainable, and competitive sources of raw materials and high-value compounds in the bioeconomy. 

In addition to showcasing technical advances, the symposium explores how different regulatory frameworks shape the development and adoption of NGTs, affecting biosafety requirements, business potential, and broader socio-economic impacts. 

Bringing together a wide array of stakeholders, including researchers, industry leaders, policymakers, and civil society, the event provides a vital platform for dialogue and knowledge exchange. Topics span from legislation and market models to public perception and innovation policy, all within the evolving context of the European and global bioeconomy landscape. 

Event Agenda

From 9:30 - Registration and coffee/tea and pastries
  • 10:00 – Setting the scene
    • Welcome from the organizing team – German Vighi, Executive Manager, and Bàrbara Levering Serrahima, Communications and Research Officer, from Plants for the Future 
    • Opening remarks – Tomasz Calikowski, Policy Officer at the European Commission’s DG for Research and Innovation and then Christina Lunner Kolstrup, Associate Professor and Dean at the Faculty of Landscape Architecture, Horticulture and Crop Production Sciences, at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) 
    • Introduction to GeneBEcon – Dennis Eriksson, Associate Professor of Genetics and Plant Breeding at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) 
  • 10:30 – Session 1: The NGTs legislation – Are we there yet?
    • Keynote speech – EU Council representative – Ana Judith Martín de la Fuente, Area Coordinator at the Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación  
    • Views from the EU Parliament – EU Parliament representative – Dr. Jaroslava (Jarka) Chloupková, Policy Advisor 
    • From legislation to implementation – Irene Sacristán Sánchez, Head of Unit Biotechnology, Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety, EU Commission 
    • To invest or not to invest? – A GeneBEcon model on how legislation affects the business case for NGTs in the EU – Justus Wesseler, Professor of Agricultural Economics and Rural Policy at Wageningen University 
    • Panel discussion – All session speakers
12:30 -13:30 - Lunch
  • 13:30 – Session 2: GeneBEcon outcomes – From research to society
    • Enhancing Potato Quality and Disease Resistance: Advancements in Gene Editing for Starch and PVY Resistance – Per Hofvander, SLU & Jean-Eric Chauvin, INRAE 
    • Harnessing Gene-edited Microalgae for High-Value Compounds and Sustainable Feed 
      Additives – Katrijn Van Laere & Evelyne Delezie, ILVO 
    • Promoting Consumer Acceptance of New Genomic Techniques – Highlights from European Consumer Surveys – Ján Pokrivčák, Slovak University of Agriculture 
    • Navigating towards NGT Transition: Strategies to Tackle Misinformation and Disinformation – Xenia Theodotou Schneider, XPRO Consulting Limited 
    • 15:00 – Meet and greet our researchers – Interactive coffee/tea break poster & product session
    • 16:00 – Session 3: EU competitiveness in the global context – The urgency of retaining talent (short
      presentations followed by panel discussion)The session will address how EU legislation is affecting innovation and start-ups in the EU, with perspectives from those directly affected and other experts in the field.
  • 17:00 – Closing remarks – Dennis Eriksson, Associate Professor of Genetics and Plant Breeding at
    the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)
17:15 – End of Symposium

To access the symposium presentations, posters, and event materials, download them here: 

GeneBEcon Final Symposium and Consortium Meeting - picture of folder material - picture 1
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GeneBEcon Final Symposium and Consortium Meeting - picture of folder material - picture 1
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GeneBEcon Webinar Series

Webinar Series

Webinar timeline

ABOUT

The GeneBEcon’s webinar series features four sessions dedicated to key topics explored in the project. Each webinar will not only present the latest findings but also offer valuable insights from key stakeholders, fostering a deeper understanding of the discussions shaping the future of gene editing.

This series is an integral part of our broader initiative to share the project’s key outcomes with all relevant stakeholder groups. It will explore various aspects of gene editing and its role in shaping Europe’s bioeconomy, aiming to support informed policymaking, promote the integration of new genomic techniques (NGTs) into scientific practice, and enhance public awareness of their potential environmental benefits.

Webinars

Public and Business Stakeholder Perceptions on NGT-Derived Food Products

Date and time: Tues 29 April, 14:00-15:30 CEST

About the Webinar

This online session will share the results of a consumer study conducted across five European countries (Germany, France, Denmark, Slovakia, and the UK), highlighting public awareness, perceptions, and acceptance of NGT-derived food products. The webinar will feature key speakers from the GeneBEcon project, including experts from consumer research and business stakeholders.

Executive Summary of the Consumer study

The consumer study conducted in the frame of the GeneBEcon project investigated the acceptance of NGT-derived biobased products among consumers and business stakeholders across Europe. It found that consumers were less familiar with NGTs than with GMOs, indicating a need for distinct communication. When consumers were well-informed, they tended to show more favorable attitudes toward NGTs, while acceptance varied by product type, demographics, and country. Increased sustainability of food production, enhanced food security and improvement of long-term competitiveness of food production were important advantages of NGT-derived products according to the focus group participants.

The project highlights the importance of working together on clear and consistent communication to build trust and ensure that NGTs are successfully adopted in food production systems.

Who should attend the webinar?

This webinar is aimed at policymakers, industry stakeholders, academic researchers, plant breeders, farmers, value chain representatives, and the general public interested in food innovation, sustainability, and the future of food systems. It offers valuable insights for anyone involved in or curious about sustainable agricultural practices and emerging trends in the food sector.

Indicative time
Title
Presenter
14:00-14:05
Welcome and webinar ground rules
Moderator, Amelie Detterbeck, Euroseeds
14:05-14:10
This is GeneBEcon
Dennis Eriksson, SLU
14:10-14:40
Consumer and stakeholder acceptance of New Genomic Techniques (NGTs)
Jan Pokrivcak, Ema Lazorcakova, Miroslava Rajcaniova, Slovak University of Agriculture
14:40-14:55
Retailers perspective: market challenges and opportunities for NGT-derived products
Gabi Buchwalder, Sorten für morgen
14:55-15:10
Literature Review: A summary of international trends and consumer research related to NGTs
Emma Vanden Auweele, Euroseeds
15:10-15:30
Q&A
All speakers

Watch the Series

Webinar 1

Public and Business Stakeholder Perceptions on NGT-Derived Food Products

Download presentation

Webinar 2

Virus-Resistant Starch Potato for an Environmentally Friendly Agro-Industry system

Download presentation

Webinar 3

Microalgae for a High-Value and Zero-Waste Production System

Download presentation

Webinar 4

A Comprehensive and Versatile Gene Editing Toolbox

Download presentation

Capturing the potential of gene editing for a sustainable bioeconomy

Register Here

Date and time: 2nd July, from 10 to 17:15 (reception and dinner from 18:00)

Location: Stanhope Hotel (Rue du Commerce 9, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium)

GeneBEcon, a Horizon Europe-funded project under the ‘Clean Environment and Zero
Pollution’ domain, focuses on circular biobased agrifood systems. Through New Genomic Techniques
(NGTs), the project innovates climate-friendly solutions for agriculture and aquaculture, aligning with
the European Green Deal and Circular Economy Action Plan.

The end of project symposium will showcase the main results from the project, highlighting the
potential of using NGTs to develop more resilient, sustainable and competitive raw materials and high
value compounds for the bioeconomy. It will also outline how different regulatory options impact
biosafety data requirements, the likelihood of uptake and overall socio-economic implications.

The symposium offers the opportunity for a wide range of stakeholders and policymakers to exchange
on the project outcomes, the regulatory context, and the dynamic interaction between innovation
and consumer engagement, all within the expansive scope of the ever-changing bioeconomy
landscape.

Tentative programme

From 9:30 - Registration and coffee/tea and pastries
  • 10:00 – Setting the scene
    • Welcome from moderator –Barbara Levering, Research & Communications Officer
    • Opening remarks – Christina Lunner Kolstrup, Associate Professor and Dean at the Faculty of Landscape Architecture, Horticulture and Crop Production Sciences, at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)
    • Introduction to GeneBEcon – Dennis Eriksson, Associate Professor of Genetics and Plant Breeding at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)
  • 10:30 – Session 1: The NGTs legislation – Are we there yet?
    • Keynote speech – EU Council representative (tbc)
    • Views from the EU Parliament – EU Parliament representative (tbc)
    • From legislation to implementation – Irene Sacristán Sánchez, Head of Unit Biotechnology, Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety, EU Commission
    • To invest or not to invest? – A GeneBEcon model on how legislation affects the business case for NGTs in the EU – Justus Wesseler, Professor of Agricultural Economics and Rural Policy at Wageningen University
    • Panel discussion – All session speakers
12:30 -13:30 - Lunch
  • 13:30 – Session 2: GeneBEcon outcomes – From research to society
    • Enhancing Potato Quality and Disease Resistance: Advancements in Gene Editing for Starch
      and PVY Resistance – Per Hofvander, SLU & Jean-Eric Chauvin, INRAE
    • Harnessing Gene-edited Microalgae for High-Value Compounds and Sustainable Feed
      Additives – Katrijn Van Laere & Evelyne Delezie, ILVO
    • Promoting Consumer Acceptance of New Genomic Techniques – Highlights from European
      Consumer Surveys – Ján Pokrivčák, Slovak University of Agriculture
    • Navigating towards NGT Transition: Strategies to Tackle Misinformation and Disinformation –
      Xenia Theodotou Schneider, XPRO Consulting Limited
    • 15:00 – Meet and greet our researchers – Interactive coffee/tea break poster & product session
    • 16:00 – Session 3: EU competitiveness in the global context – The urgency of retaining talent (short
      presentations followed by panel discussion) The session will address how EU legislation is affecting innovation and start-ups in the EU, with perspectives from those directly affected and other experts in the field.
  • 17:00 – Closing remarks – Dennis Eriksson, Associate Professor of Genetics and Plant Breeding at
    the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)
17:15 – End of Symposium

Event Location

Stanhope Hotel
Rue du Commerce 9, 1000 Bruxelles

Atelier29
Rue Jacques de Lalaing 29, 1000 Bruxelles

Be Ready for the Science Policy Symposium!

We are cordially inviting you to the Science Policy Symposium brought to you by the GeneBEcon project. Mark your calendars for October 23, 2024, from 15:00 to 17:00. The event will take place at Otto-von-Bismarck-Allee 4a, 10557 Berlin, Germany.

Event Highlights:

  • Organized by BVL & Agroscope: On behalf of the GeneBEcon Consortium, this symposium will provide an in-depth look at the innovative progress of the GeneBEcon project.
  • Expert Insights: Hear from leading experts in science policy and biotechnology.
  • Networking Opportunities: Connect with professionals and stakeholders in the field.

Stay tuned for more information and registration details. This is an event you won’t want to miss!

Keep an eye on our website for updates. We look forward to seeing you there in German!

The second System Mapping Approach (SMA) Workshop

Ilvo hosted the second System Approach Workshop. The workshop brought together multi-sectoral actors to assess the impact of New Genomique Techniques on the starch potato value chain and it’s broader system.

Sil Allaert introduced the GeneBEcon project as well as the Systems Mapping Approach and the goal of his PhD. Katrijn Van Laere explained NGT’s and the technology we will use

Event Details:

  • Date: April 17, 2024
  • Location: Ellipse Building, Room 0A11, Koning Albert II Laan 35, 1030 Brussels

Agenda Highlights:

The second Systems Mapping workshop proved the importance of engaging new perspectives to the approach. In a small setting, every participant had the opportunity to share their expertise. This led to constructive and thought-provoking discussions about the societal impacts of New Genomic Techniques, the position of science in the debate, and many other topics. Filled with new insights, the coming months will be used to further develop the Systems Maps

For more information about the workshop’s outcomes and future events, please follow GeneBEcon’s social medias and website. We appreciate the active participation and valuable contributions from all attendees and look forward to further collaboration in our upcoming workshops!

More information:

To access the agenda: Click Here!
To access ‘Mapping the System: Systems Thinking in the European Gene Editing Debate: Click Here!

See bellow some pictures from our event!

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GreenGenius – A Satellite Event for the EU Bioeconomy Changemakers festival

GreenGenius is a plant-focused science forum, organised as satellite event for the EU Bioeconomy Changemakers festival, with the aim to empower early-career researchers active in plant sciences to drive the change towards a sustainable bioeconomy.

This in-person event will be facilitated by Euroseeds, the voice of the European seed sector. Euroseeds is a consortium partner of the Horizon Europe project GeneBEcon, dedicated to holistically exploring the transformative potential of gene editing in plants for sustainable bioeconomy.

The event will be structured as an interactive forum and is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, 12 March from 12:30 till 17:30 at BluePoint in Brussels, Belgium. The event will facilitate networking and meet & greet with diverse stakeholders and young professionals to explore the career possibilities in the bioeconomy.

Admission to the event is free of charge, however registration prior to the event date is required.

–          Read the full description of the GreenGenius event and agenda here.

–          Click on this weblink to register for the event.

In case of any questions, send an email to Dr. Nick Vangheluwe, Manager Research Policy and Project Coordination, Euroseeds, at NickVangheluwe@euroseeds.eu.

More information about the hybrid high-level event of the Bioeconomy Changemakers Festival (13 – 14 March 2024) organised by the Commission can be found on the R&I community platform.

 

 

Location

BluePoint Brussels

Bd A. Reyers 80

1030 Brussels

 

Timing

12:30 -17:30

See you there!

#youthempowerment #EUbioeconomy #EUGreenDeal

2nd RRI Workshop is coming soon in February 2024!

Image about the promotion of the 2nd Responsible Research & Innovation Workshop

GeneBEcon is hosting its second Responsible Research & Innovation (RRI) Workshop on February 21st, 2024 in Brussels, Belgium. The aim of this workshop is to actively engage the GeneBEcon Stakeholder Advisory Board, Ethics Board, EC, and GeneBEcon partners in a Co-Creation process to define a long-term NGT Transition Vision and Action Plan for increasing NGT-desirability and value in the agricultural and industrial sectors. The workshop is designed to co-create I-SMART actions for a New Genomic Techniques Transition Plan towards sustainable agriculture, food, and biotechnology.

 

Goals of the 2nd RRI Co-Creation Workshop:

 

1) Set the scene for Actions co-creation based on the results of the 1st RRI workshop considering how to best handle misinformation and disinformation.

2) Continue the co-creation process by co-defining actions for turning NGTs Weaknesses to Strengths and Threats to Opportunities with I-SMART* Actions for achieving sustainable agriculture and aquaculture and the industrial use of their products, which is our social objective.

*I-SMART: I = Impact on social objective, Specific, Measurable, Assignable, Realistic, Time-bound.

 

The 2nd RRI workshop is being organized and facilitated by GeneBEcon partner, XPRO Consulting Limited, in close collaboration with GeneBEcon partner, EV ILVO.

 

 

Midterm Symposium in Brussels, Belgium on February 20th, 2024

GeneBEcon project funded by the European Union focuses on circular bio-based systems through New Genomic Techniques (NGTs) and innovates climate-friendly solutions for agriculture and aquaculture, aligning with the European Green Deal and Circular Economy Action Plan.

As part of the project’s agenda and the continuous effort to bring solutions, GeneBEcon will organize its midterm symposium on February 20th 2024 at 09:30 – 15:00 CET located in BLUEPOINT, Blvd Auguste Reyers 80, 1030 Brussels, Belgium.

The symposium will offer the opportunity for a wide range of stakeholders and policymakers to exchange on the potential and desirability of using NGTs to develop more sustainable raw materials for the bio-based industry. The objective is to involve participants in conversations about project outcomes, regulatory context, and the dynamic interaction between innovation and consumer engagement, all within the expansive scope of the ever-changing bioeconomy landscape.

RRI Workshop Online on November 9th, 2023

GeneBEcon will conduct its 1st RRI Workshop online on November 9th 2023. The primary objectives of the RRI workshop series are to openly deliberate on the “Motivational Factors for NGTs and Framing an NGT Future” with the overarching goal of formulating an NGTs Transition Vision and Action Plan. The workshop aimed to initiate the co-creation process, working towards establishing this goal. The GeneBEcon RRI workshops are organised and facilitated by the GeneBEcon partner, XPRO Consulting Limited following its method of the RRI Roadmap ãä and in close collaboration with the GeneBEcon partner, EV ILVO.

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Events – Midterm Symposium – News&Events

The first peer-reviewed scientific article prepared by partners of the GeneBEcon consortium is published in Nature Plants. The article, “Options for regulating new genomic techniques for plants in the European Union” describes a range of options for regulating plants derived from New Genomic Techniques (NGTs) in the European Union (EU) and assesses their respective impacts on biosafety data requirements, the likelihood of uptake and overall socio-economic implications.

 

Science-Policy Symposium: New Genomic Techniques (NGTs) in Plants and Microalgae; 06/10/2023; 09:00-14:00 EEST ( Limassol, Cyprus)

What do NGTs mean for agriculture, aquaculture, food security and the bioeconomy?

➡️See event AGENDA

The EU-funded GeneBEcon project and the Cyprus University of Technology are organising the Science-Policy Symposium about New Genomic Techniques in Plants and Microalgae and their impact on agriculture, aquaculture, food security and bioeconomy. The Symposium will be held under the auspices of Cyprus` Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment.

Who should attend: Governmental officials and policymakers from Cyprus, EU and neighbouring countries, food industry representatives, agriculture and aquaculture representatives, researchers, academics and students.

The event will:

  • Illustrate how NGTs can contribute to food security and safety, the EU Green Deal, Farm to Fork Strategy, and Circular Bioeconomy goals.
  • Inform policymakers, researchers, students, and agri-food stakeholders about NGT-derived plants’ potential to support agriculture and aquaculture pressing issues.
  • Demonstrate regulatory options and their respective socio-economic impacts and illustrate how NGTs can enable Europe to achieve its goals.
  • Highlight key developments in NGTs and their applications in improving plant disease resistance and plant product quality to eliminate chemical industrial processing.
  • Showcase GeneBEcon research that is directly relevant to Cyprus’ potato and poultry sector
    • Virus-resistant potato with a more desirable starch profile, enabling less pesticide use in potato production and chemical-free extraction for the food industry Microalgae being used to produce high-value compounds and as poultry feed additive to improve gut health.

Relevance of NGTs for Cyprus: Cyprus has introduced several initiatives to boost its agriculture and NGTs could be one of them since its potato sector is one of the most important (40% of raw agricultural products) and 96% exports to the EU.

 

Click here to register.


Symposium Live Stream