Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 of 19 November 2021 has established the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU). This is a €2 billion partnership between the European Union and the Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC) that funds projects advancing competitive circular bio-based industries in Europe.

DSM has agreed to acquire the biobased flavour and fragrance (F&F) intermediates business of synthetic biotechnology company Amyris. This comprises seven products, of which four are “already generating meaningful sales”, two newly launched and one under development. They will be added to the DSM’s Personal Care & Aroma Ingredients activities, extending its offer to the F&F and cosmetics industries.

Kemira and its pension fund, Neliapila, have signed a pre-agreement and lease agreement with a consortium of Ahlström Capital, Kirkon Eläkerahasto and Aktia Life Insurance. Under this, they will build a new research centre for Kemira as part of the Green Chemistry Park within a 5.5-hectare site at Espoo, near Helsinki in Finland.

French bio-based surfactants firm SurfactGreen has received €4.7 million in investment, with €3.1 million in grants and repayable advances from ADEME and Bpifrance and €1.6 million in capital from its shareholders. This will enable it to double the workforce to 24, start international sales and accelerate the commercialisation of its products, the firm said.

Agrifood giant Cargill is joining forces with two French companies to further develop and scale biobased acrylic acid based on a lactic acid technology it licensed in from Procter & Gamble earlier this year. This is claimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in production by 50% compared with conventional means of production.