20/05/2021 (Agence Europe) – On European Maritime Day, Thursday 20 May, the European Commission published the fourth edition of its ‘EU Blue Economy Report’, which shows that the ocean and coastal environment sectors in the EU employed almost 4.5 million people in 2018 and generated a revenue of around 650 billion euros (https://bit.ly/2Sf0SG0 ). Blue biotechnology and the blue bioeconomy can play a crucial role in providing plant-based alternatives to plastics and other petrochemical applications. The production of algae generates a total revenue of 10.7 million euros in France, Spain and Portugal. In 2022, the Commission will adopt a strategy for algae to promote the development of the sector (see EUROPE 12720/2). Link to the press release: https://bit.ly/3v6pyyL (LC)