Supportive Regulations and Standards to Encourage a Level Playing Field for the Bio-based Economy

Literature Review, Research Objectives And Methodology

Systematic foresight investigations with a focus on technologies, regulations and standards allow better decision-making towards the enabling of a bio-based economy (Ladu and Quitzow, 2017). It is indeed a challenge to establish a flexible regulatory framework that can adapt to the pace of change of innovations and new technologies. Foresight investigations can be defined as a structured dialogue among stakeholders on possible future developments (Giaoutzi and Sapio, 2013). It represents a relevant policy instrument and decision-making tool based on the following features: anticipation, participation, networking, vision and action (Vecchiato and Roveda, 2014). Blind (2008) proposed three methodologies for conducting regulatory foresight:

• i)

  A first approach that uses science and technology indicators for identifying possible fields that may cause challenges for the regulatory framework.

• ii)

  A second approach based on surveys that enable regulatory bodies to identify future needs for regulations.

• iii)

  A Delphi methodology involving multiple survey rounds.