(UPM, Helsinki, 27 November 2025 at 14:00 EET) - UPM welcomes the European Union's new Bioeconomy Strategy, published today in Brussels, as a decisive move to elevate the bioeconomy as a driver of growth, innovation, and climate neutrality. The strategy reinforces the bioeconomy's central role in revitalizing European industries and boosting competitiveness through renewable and circular solutions.

The strategy is highly relevant for scaling up biobased innovations across Europe. By broadening the circular economy concept to include virgin materials made from biobased feedstocks, the strategy opens new pathways to replace fossil-based inputs with renewable ones. UPM welcomes the ambition to set concrete targets for biobased content, which will give confidence to stimulate technology investments and accelerate market uptake. Further, the strategy promotes the industrialization of biobased technologies by supporting innovation and scale-up. Finally, the strategy rightly recognizes the need to enable access to sustainable feedstocks.

"These are important signals for companies driving sustainable growth and innovation," said Harald Dialer, Executive Vice President Technology and UPM Biorefining. "At UPM, we are putting this vision into action. Our €1.3 billion wood-to-chemicals biorefinery in Leuna is starting up. Europe's largest investment in industrial-scale biochemicals will convert sustainably sourced wood into next-generation biochemicals. We will market a completely new portfolio of innovative and sustainable products which replace fossil raw materials, help brands reduce emissions, and support their commercial performance through differentiation and additional performance."

The bioeconomy is key to securing Europe's strategic autonomy. By building new value chains based on renewable feedstocks, Europe can reduce dependence on fossil imports while fostering green growth, innovation, and high-quality jobs.

UPM calls on EU and Member State leaders to maintain momentum and back this strategy with concrete regulatory action. Clear targets for biobased content, streamlined sustainability criteria, and incentives for green investments will unlock the full potential of the bioeconomy to power Europe's industrial future.

Learn more about our policy asks here: Paving the way for an innovative and future-oriented industrial policy

UPM welcomes new Bioeconomy Strategy as a catalyst for sustainable growth and innovation. (Picture of Leuna Biorefinery: UPM)

For further information please contact:
Martin Ledwon, Vice President Marketing, Sustainability & Communications, UPM Biorefining & Technology, [email protected]

For questions related to EU affairs please contact:
Giulia Cancian, Director EU Affairs, Public Affairs at UPM, [email protected]

UPM, Media Relations 
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[email protected]

UPM Biochemicals 
UPM Biochemicals offers innovative, sustainable and competitive wood-based biochemicals for replacing fossil-based raw materials and helping to improve the environmental performance in various applications. End-use segments for renewable glycols include textiles, PET bottles, packaging, coolants, composites, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and detergents. Lignin-based Renewable Functional Fillers (RFF) offer a sustainable alternative to carbon black and precipitated silica in a broad range of rubber and plastic applications. UPM is building an industrial scale biorefinery in Leuna, Germany to convert solid wood into next generation biochemicals. UPM Biochemicals is accelerating the transition to a circular bioeconomy - where renewable feedstocks, sustainable production and sustainable consumption are the new normal. www.upmbiochemicals.com 

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UPM
UPM is a material solutions company, renewing products and entire value chains with an extensive portfolio of renewable fibres, advanced materials, decarbonization solutions, and communication papers. Our performance in sustainability has been recognized by third parties, including EcoVadis and the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices. We operate globally and employ approximately 15,800 people worldwide, with annual sales of approximately €10.3 billion. Our shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd.
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