Brussels, 07/12/2006 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday, the European Commission authorised the French Agence de l'innovation industrielle to grant aid of €41.8 million to the “BioHub” research and development (R&D) programme. Companies and research laboratories from a number of Member States are working together on this programme. Its objective is to develop new environmentally friendly chemical products and processes. The aid will be provided under the Agence de l'innovation industrielle scheme which has already been approved by the Commission. The Commission takes the view that the scheme meets the current conditions for state aid for R&D. The BioHub R&D programme will develop new products from renewable raw materials and new production processes using biotechnologies instead of petrochemical processes. The programme, which is being led by French starch provider Roquette, involves Metabolic Explorer (France), a young start-up company specialising in the application of biotechnology in the chemical sector, chemical producers Arkéma (France), Cofnis (Germany), Solvay (Belgium), DSM (Netherlands) and Tergal Fibres (France), along with Eurovia (France) and equipment supplier Sidel (France). The Lyons and Rouen INSA laboratories, the IMMCL laboratories in Lille, TU in Eindhoven and the Kluyver Centre for Genomics in Delft are subcontractors. The programme will cost a total of €88 million over five years.
On 22 November 2006, the Commission adopted a new framework for state aid for research, development and innovation, which will apply from 1st January 2007. (hb)