Publication date:
The European Commission published today its Protein Action Plan, setting out measures to strengthen Europe's protein supply, reduce import dependence and support more resilient food and feed systems. The reliance on protein imports is increasingly seen as a strategic vulnerability in a context of geopolitical uncertainty and supply disruptions, a challenge that CBE JU helps address by driving innovation in alternative proteins and reinforcing Europe’s self-sufficiency in sustainable food systems.
In 2023/24 the EU imported around 19 million tonnes of crude protein to cover gaps in domestic supply. Most of these imports are mainly used as feed for livestock, the largest consumer of plant protein in the EU, using around 74 million tonnes annually. Building on the Commission's 2018 report on plant proteins, the plan sets out measures to diversify and strengthen domestic feed protein sources, with the target of increasing the share of EU-produced crop protein used in animal feed from 25% in 2025 to 35% by 2035.
Key actions of the plan include:
- Improving the resilience, competitiveness, and preparedness of the wider EU protein supply system, including the feed industry, by advancing research and innovation and scaling up investments.
- Reinforcing EU protein value chains by improving market attractiveness and incentivising demand.
- Developing integrated value chains: combining support for protein crop cultivation under the CAP with better territorial integration and the development of infrastructure and processing facilities, delivered through national and regional partnership plans.
- Expanding research and innovation investment through the Horizon Europe framework programme and the European Competitiveness Fund.
- Embracing the bioeconomy by integrating a bioeconomy perspective to ensure the efficient use of biomass for high-value applications, in line with the EU bioeconomy strategy.
The plan acknowledges the central role of CBE JU, together with its working group on primary producers, in advancing Europe's bioeconomy and unlocking the full potential of EU protein sources. This positions CBE JU not only as a funding instrument, but as a structural enabler of the resilience, competitiveness and diversification objectives at the heart of the EU's protein plan.
We are proud to see the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking recognised as a structural enabler of Europe's protein strategy. This recognition reflects the work our projects are already doing on the ground: turning research into concrete solutions that farmers and industry can put into practice. We look forward to continuing this work as Europe builds a more resilient protein supply system.
Nicoló Giacomuzzi-Moore, CBE JU Executive Director
Innovation already delivering solutions
Many of the approaches highlighted in the plan are already being developed and implemented through CBE JU-funded projects, including scalable biorefinery processes, fermentation technologies and the use of underutilised feedstocks as alternative proteins.
The ALEHOOP project developed innovative biorefinery processes to convert agricultural residues into protein-rich ingredients for food and feed applications. Their process leads to circular nutrient recovery and reduces dependence on imported protein sources. The project focuses on valorising legume by-products as well as red and green macroalgae to establish new, scalable proteins. These ingredients have been tested in real food and feed formulations, with validated functionality and consumer-oriented product development demonstrating clear industrial potential.
ALEHOOP has demonstrated that alternative proteins can be both sustainable and scalable. Our technology has the potential to avoid 22,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions and save 10 million m3 of freshwater annually, with the capacity to valorise more than 5,000 tonnes of biomass from lupins and other plant-based by-products. This approach can contribute to reducing Europe's dependence on imported proteins, support local economies and enhance the resilience of its food system.
Manuel Román, CEO of CONTACTICA, ALEHOOP project
Grass is the key feedstock explored in the Rural BioReFarmeries project, which is producing grass-derived leaf protein concentrate (LPC) with potential to replace soybean meal for pig nutrition. Clover grass can yield three times more protein per hectare than soy, while LPC can reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 80% compared to soybean meal. The project is also advancing protein development beyond animal feed, co-producing a RuBisCo protein fraction suitable for human consumption alongside feed. Samples of over 70% crude protein have already been produced, demonstrating the potential for high-quality grass-derived proteins across food and feed applications. By harnessing the hidden potential of grasslands, one of Europe’s largest underutilised resources, the project supports rural communities and offers strong potential for replication across Europe.
CleanAlgae2Value is positioning microalgae as a versatile protein source. It is led by Solmeyea, the first company worldwide to produce white microalgae protein directly from captured CO₂. The project is using patented technology to extract food-grade protein isolates, oils, starches and natural pigments from white microalgae. The outputs include MEY powder, a carbon-negative, non-GMO ingredient derived from white microalgae, that can partially replace or complement conventional plant proteins such as soy, depending on formulation. Rather than acting as a direct substitute, it functions as a versatile ingredient that can help increase protein content, improve texture and nutrition and enhance sustainability outcomes. With five pilot lines already in progress, CleanAlgae2Value is turning these functional, bioavailable ingredients into a range of food applications, helping scale microalgae-derived protein from a niche ingredient into a mainstream, market-ready alternative.
CleanAlgae2Value represents an important step towards a new generation of European alternative proteins. By combining microalgae biotechnology, circular carbon utilisation and food-grade ingredient development, the project aims to demonstrate how Europe can produce nutritious, functional and sustainable protein ingredients while reducing dependency on conventional agricultural inputs and supporting industrial decarbonisation.
Vasilis Stenos, CEO of Solmeyea, CleanAlgae2Value project
One of the newest CBE JU-funded projects, MycoStruct is advancing fermentation-based technologies, with one patent approved and two international patents filed, to transform sustainable protein production through scalable mycelium fermentation. The project will deliver authentic whole-cut foods with minimal processing and industrial manufacturing readiness. The project’s focus is on circularity: low-value agricultural and food industry sidestreams are converted into nutrient-rich protein inputs. Recognised with a STEP Seal from the European Commission for its high-quality innovation and alignment with EU economic and climate goals, MycoStruct shows how fungal biotechnology can support the transition to a more resource-efficient, sustainable food system.
With the help of CBE JU, the project is developing a completely new generation of meat alternatives, using a new proprietary fermentation technology to replicate the structure of animal muscle tissue. The aim is to demonstrate that next-generation food technologies can deliver the taste, texture and nutrition consumers expect while fundamentally changing how food is produced. This work will accelerate the transition towards a more resilient, sustainable and competitive European food industry by enabling new scaled manufacturing approaches.
Gareth Payne, Chief Product Officer at Adamo Foods, MycoStruct project
Producing microbial protein for food and feed directly from CO₂ may sound like science fiction, but it is the aim of UNICO2RN. The project uses captured biogenic CO₂ as a carbon source to produce microbial proteins alongside PHA-based materials that can replace conventional fossil-based plastics. By using feedstocks from agri-food waste, industrial side streams and other biogenic CO₂ sources rather than fossil-based inputs, the process is expected to reduce energy consumption by up to 80% and cut greenhouse gas emissions by 75%. UNICO2RN will demonstrate the full process chain at two industrial sites under near-commercial conditions, covering CO₂ capture, bioconversion and downstream processing.
From research to market deployment
The Protein Action Plan underlines the need to move promising solutions beyond development and into wider use, emphasising stronger innovation ecosystems, improved investment conditions and closer cooperation across the value chain. These objectives closely align with CBE JU's mission to accelerate the development and deployment of competitive circular bio-based industries in Europe. Through collaboration between industry, research organisations, SMEs and primary producers, CBE JU projects are helping bridge the gap between scientific advances and commercial-scale implementation.
