JRC to assess biotech opportunities and challenges
The European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) is to carry out a study to evaluate the consequences, opportunities and challenges of modern biotechnology for Europe. The report was requested by the European Parliament and promised in a 2002 Commission report. In comparison to the US, biotechnology has had a late and slow start in Europe. The sector has come a long way since it took off in the late 1990s, with the number of companies in Europe now thought to outnumber those in the US. Most comparisons tend to favour the US however, with European companies employing fewer people, investing less in research and development (R&D) and generating smaller revenues than their US counterparts. Europe does appear to generate more revenue from its investment in this sector than the US, but not enough to be a real threat to the US' position as global leader. The year 2004 appears to have been one of consolidation rather than growth in both Europe and the US, and the Commission is certainly hoping that the results of this study will help policy makers to kick-start the sector in Europe. The JRC's findings on the consequences, opportunities and challenges of modern biotechnology for Europe will be 'put into a framework that provides an overview of biotechnology research in the EU, including a description of its strengths and weaknesses, and human resources,' according to the Commission. According to Science and Research Commissioner Janez Potocnik, 'The JRC study will be a very useful and timely contribution. It will help to inform the debate on biotechnology at European level and provide a scientifically sound basis for future decisions.' The study will focus on four areas affected by biotechnology: - economic growth and job creation; - public health and quality of life; - food safety, food production and rural development; - environment and energy. It appears that adoption of modern biotechnologies in Europe is currently lower than anticipated. For example, genetically modified crops are hardly grown in the continent, applications involving stem cells are still in the R&D phase, and gene therapy is currently not available outside of clinical trials. The findings of the study will be presented to policy makers during a symposium in mid-2007.