It is a pleasure to have collaborated with this 3rd edition of the "Pencils and Smiles" campaign, a solidarity initiative organized by the Automotive Cluster of Aragón in favor of the impoverished children of our region.

The emerging bioeconomy is moving from research niche to market norm and Europe needs to maintain its current global leadership. The High Level Bioeconomy conference focus on the need to have a sustainable and circular bioeconomy to enhance the transition in a changed EU policy context and towards a new environmental, social and economic reality.

The bioplastic and biobased materials are here to stay. Public opinion demands, with increasing force, sustainable products. The industry, to respond to this desire, is developing biobased plastics (from renewable sources) and sustainable plastics. Some brands have already started to implement them and offer their products with biobased packaging.

On July 17th AGROBIOSOL Supraregional Operative Group meeting has been celebrated. AGROBIOSIOL "Improving the Quality of Fruits and Vegetables through Sustainable Production using Biobased and Biodegradable Materials".

In 2017 Europe generated about 25 million tonnes of post-consumer plastic waste of which only 29.7% was recycled.