We are facing the same problems everywhere in Europe. Climate change affects us all. Lack of resources affects us all. Inequalities in treatment affect us all - with rare diseases still unable to find a cure.

Biotechnology provides solutions to many of these problems. These days we are witnessing nothing less than a small revolution in biotechnology.

Let me give some examples.

• In healthcare, biotechnology is what could bring cures to diseases we thought were incurable. I recently had the pleasure of visiting a company in Ghent called Argenx. It uses antibody cells from llamas to treat autoimmune diseases that have not yet had a solution.
• Top innovators are working on new materials that look and function like plastic, except they're made from organic byproducts. And fully biodegradable. Imagine what the full deployment of such technology could mean – potentially solving the plastic pollution crisis we have.
• Across Europe, biotech companies are also using natural processes to produce color pigments that replace chemical dyes. It would help reduce the colossal water use of the textile sector. And avoid toxic residues ending up in our waterways.

(More on ec.europa.eu)