The new research programme ForestValue – Innovating the forest-based bioeconomy, pre-announced in early May, will focus on the bioeconomy, substitution of fossil-based raw materials and sustainable wood supply. The budget of the new programme is estimated to surpass € 30 million and includes contributions from the EU Member States, the European Commission as well as industrial stakeholders.

The main goal of ForestValue is the joint implementation of a trans-national Call for proposals for research, development and innovation in the forest-based sector. The overarching aim of the Call is to support projects that will address the development and/or proof of novel strategies, methods, processes or products designed to support forestry and forest-based industries (and respective partners, resellers, consumers and end-users) on their way towards novel bioproducts and services, while remaining competitive and efficient providers of sustainable products and services. Basic and applied research, close-to-market research and innovation actions are all envisaged. 

ForestValue results from intensive negotiations lead by the ERA-NET WoodWisdom-Netand in partnership with FTP to convince the European Commission of the significance of keeping alive support to transnational research cooperation for the forest-based sector. Submitted in response to the Call SFS-19 Sustainable Food Security – Resilient and resource-efficient value chains, the proposal ForestValue builds on the success of three forest-related ERA-NETs: WoodWisdom-Net, SUMFOREST and FORESTEERRA. 

The call for pre-proposals is expected to open in the last quarter of 2017.