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Working group on primary producers

The focus of this working group is to address the challenges that primary producers face in rolling out circular bio-based solutions and innovations while ensuring that they benefit from being part of new and innovative circular and bio-based value chains.

Mandate

CBE JU has established a dedicated three-year working group aimed at empowering primary producers to address opportunities offered by circular bio-based innovations and to face associated obstacles. The working group has the mandate to prepare and implement an action plan, which will propose actionable and practical solutions to address key challenges, such as the lack of awareness, limited integration in value chains, financial barriers and insufficient access to infrastructure.


The ultimate goals of this initiative are to:

  • Empower primary producers to play an active and rewarding role in circular bio-based value chains.

  • Ensure they benefit from the economic, social and environmental opportunities these systems offer.
     

The RootLinks project will support the group’s mandate by facilitating their work, strengthening communication and turning ideas into action.

This initiative builds on CBE JU’s growing support for the sector, which has already seen €185 million invested since 2022 and 76 primary sector entities participating in funded projects.

Learn more about the launch of the primary producers working group and how it will help shape a more inclusive, sustainable bioeconomy.

About the working group

On 11 June 2025, the working group on primary producers was formally established during its inaugural meeting in Warsaw, Poland, held on the sidelines of an event organised under the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU.

The CBE JU Governing Board appointed the first working group members, bringing together 64 representatives from across Europe, each selected for their expertise and connection to the sector. The members are:

  • Primary producers with a legal entity.

  • Cooperatives or primary producers.

  • Other entities working closely with them, such as associations of primary producers, networks of primary producers, advisory services for primary producers, etc.

During this meeting, the leadership of the working group was also established. John Brosnan was elected as Chair. Supporting the chair, the following Vice-Chairs were elected:

  •  Representing the agricultural primary sector: Sophie Rabeau-Epsztein and Nicolaos Lakros 

  • Representing the aquatic primary sector: David Bassett 

  • Representing the forest primary sector: Maria Pohjala and Carlo Piemonte

Together, they will serve as the driving force behind the group’s activities. Meet the people driving this initiative forward.
 

My hope and expectation for this working group is that we can not only see more primary producers involved in and benefitting from future funding calls from CBEJU, but that these calls should be focused on addressing the barriers to primary producer participation. These include but are not limited to aggregation for scale, access to finance, more efficient logistics, market access, technical support, deployment of de-risked research and innovation, whilst allowing for equitable benefit sharing.

John Brosnan

John Brosnan

Chair
Sophie Rabeau-Epsztein

Sophie Rabeau Epsztein

Vice chair
Nicos Larkos

Nicos Alexandros Larkos

Vice chair
David Bassett

David Bassett

Vice chair
Maria Pohjala

Maria Pohjala

Vice chair
Carlo Piemonte

Carlo Piemonte

Vice chair

How to become a member?

The procedure set out in the call for expression of interest to take part in the working group defines the process and the specific criteria for the establishment of the group. The working group seeks a balanced membership, ensuring representation across EU regions, sub-sectors and different types of primary production.
 

Do you want to take part in this initiative? Here you can find the application form.

The first cut-off date of the call to become a member of the working group on primary producers was on 28 February 2025.  The new cut-off date is set out on 15 September 2025.
 

Useful background information

This initiative builds on CBE JU’s growing support for the sector, which has already seen €185 million invested since 2022 and 76 primary sector entities participating in funded projects.

A participatory workshop on engaging with primary producers in bio-based value chains welcomed nearly 40 stakeholders on 28 February 2024, in Brussels, for a consultation on the proposed objectives, activities and future membership of the working group. Consult the full workshop report.

A concept note set out the working group's scope, objectives, tasks and composition. A decision of the CBE JU Governing Board set out the process and the specific criteria for the establishment of the working group.

Contact

For further information please reach out to primary.producers [at] cbe.europa.eu