Biotechnology is still important for the economy and therefore receives sustained government support. Lithuania does not have a bioeconomy strategy. Included among the relevant political strategies from 2007 to 2013 was a program for industrial biotechnology. The "Smart Specialization Program" launched in 2014 also focuses on biotechnology and will be part of the government's current policy of innovation until 2020. The focus is on innovations in agriculture and food technologies.

Latvia is a rather sparsely populated country in the middle of the Baltic States with about two million inhabitants. Agriculture and forestry are therefore of the greatest bioeconomic importance: 54% of the land area is forested, another 30% are used for agriculture. Forests and fertile soils offer far greater potential than has been economically developed to date. In terms of bio-economic value creation, the traditional and small-scale structures predestine the country to specialisation rather than mass production.

Italy is the second most important industrial country in the EU after Germany. The north is mainly industrialised, the south predominantly agricultural. The food sector, with its typical offerings such as olive oil, wine and pasta, is regarded as a supporting pillar of the country's economy. However, chemical exports contribute much toward its economic power. Therefore, future opportunities for the bioeconomy exist in the chemical industry in particular. To this end, the companies already modify former petrochemical plants.

Iceland takes the leading role in the "Nordic Bioeconomy Initiative". A strategic paper entitled "Future Opportunities for Bioeconomy in the Western Nordic Countries" has already been drawn up and was published in 2014. In 2015, a "Nordic Bioeconomy Panel" was set up. The goal: the development of a "Nordic bioeconomy strategy". The main areas of focus are biotechnology and the blue bioeconomy – the aim of which is to tap and exploit marine bioresources.

There is no specific bioeconomy strategy. But the government has recognised the potential of the bioeconomy and launched several relevant strategy papers. In 2008, the national agricultural authority ‘Teagasc’ initiated a bioeconomy research project entitled "Towards 2030". Other papers focused on Green Economy and Blue Economy.

The UK does not have a specific bioeconomic strategy, but it has published various other strategy papers dealing with sustainable agriculture, forestry and industrial biotechnology. Following a biomass strategy in 2007, a specific bioenergy strategy was adopted in 2012, emphasizing the use of various waste materials and perennial energy crops. The first strategy for agricultural technologies (Agri-tech Industrial Strategy) was agreed in 2013, specifically aiming at the transfer of technology and the commercialization of agricultural and forestry research.

Additionally, there is strong involvement in the fields of green chemistry and biorefinery. Supported by an innovation policy based on economics and attractive tax policy, there is a growing innovative middle class. There is no bioeconomy strategy, but numerous measures with a thematic focus on the bioeconomy.

The government – the Finnish Ministry of Employment and the Economy were key actors – published a bioeconomy strategy in May 2014 (The Finish Bioeconomy Strategy – sustainable growth from bioeconomy). According to this, the bioeconomy is already of enormous economic importance in Finland: it accounts for 16% of the gross domestic product (GDP) and is mainly generated by the following sectors: agriculture, forestry, food and chemistry. Finland focuses primarily on the utilisation of biomass for a wide range of applications.

This has been initiated by the Ministry of Agriculture. The Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Environment are also involved.According to our estimates, the bio-based economy accounts for about a third of Estonia’s total economy.

However, the government’s commitment to bioeconomy is framed by the “Growth Plan for Foods” and the “Growth Plan for Water, Bio and Environmental Solutions” (2013). In addition, Denmark has appointed a National Bioeconomy Panel, composed of experts from universities, industry and non-governmental organisations as well as politicians.In the meantime, there are strategical papers for almost all industrial sectors stressing the meaning of a sustainable economy and encouraging respective developments.