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The main challenges for the food sector industry are: • • Table 0.17 High dependence on import; combined with; High cost of cultivation of seaweed in Europe. Drivers in the food sector Existing Drivers A growing market for health and functional food Strong demand for technical innovations Organic and nature orientated consumer needs Drive to reduce production costs and increase efficiencies Knowledge about marine living resources Research facilities Highly developed SME landscape Knowledge and technology base +++ strong, ++ medium, + small, ↑supporting drivers Table 0.18 Barriers of in the food sector Existing Barriers Sources of raw materials Regulations Recognition of the value of innovation within the sector Public perceptions of the risks associated with biotechnology in the sector Financing, venture capital, high costs of innovative techniques and products Recognition within policy of the contribution that MB can make within the sector to improved sustainability Recognition of the contribution that MB can make to the competitiveness and productivity of the sector Attractiveness of the sector compared to the agro food sector +++strong, ++medium, +small, ↓suppressing barriers Energy Biomass is a growing resource for the energy sector. It is used directly as fuel in power plants and heating devices. Biomass is also used to produce biofuels used in the transportation sector. The increase of the biofuel consumption in the world has led to a societal discussion on the use of limited land resources for the production of food or fuel. In the EU the acceptance of land use for fuel production has decreased. In the EU biofuel policy, biofuels produced from waste and not land Current extent +++ ++ +++ ++ ++ ++ + ++ Drivers evolving in absence of measures +++ + +++ ++ + ++ + ++ Drivers evolving with successful measures +++ +++ +++ +++ ↑ +++ ↑ +++ ↑ +++ ↑ +++ ↑ Current extent ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ barriers evolving in absence of measures ++ +++ ++ ++ ++ ++ barriers evolving with successful measures + ↓ + ↓ + ↓ ++ + ↓ + ↓ ++ ++ + ↓ ++ ++ ++ ↓ Study in support of Impact Assessment work on Blue Biotechnology 139

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