The European bioeconomy still employs most people in traditional sectors like agriculture. The more recent fields like bio-based chemicals, biofuels and bio-based electricity account for only a small slice of total employment. (Photo: Tobias Andreasen)

Magazine

New bioeconomy strategy will have to address job losses

Green Economy

Business

by Peter Teffer, infographics by Tobias Andreasen, Brussels,

Bulgaria had apparently not received word of the bad news. Neither had the European commissioner for agriculture, Phil Hogan.

Last February, Bulgaria opened a debate at a meeting of agriculture ministers with a paper stating that the bioeconomy employed around 22 million people in the EU. Hogan also cited that figure.

The bad news was that their information was outdated. The figure comes from the commission's bioeconomy strategy paper,