Following the publication of the first part of the European Biotech Act, the EIT Health Think Tank has convened leading voices from across the continent to assess how Europe can strengthen its biotechnology innovation pathways.
Among these experts is Montserrat Daban, President of the Board at the Council of European BioRegions (CEBR), who contributed to the Think Tank report “Skills, Scale and Science: Uniting European Innovation Ecosystems through the Biotech Act”, published in April 2026.
A strategic moment for European biotechnology
The report comes at a critical juncture for Europe. While the region maintains world-class scientific excellence and strong public health systems, it faces increasing global competition and structural fragmentation across funding, regulation and innovation ecosystems.
The Think Tank findings highlight that Europe’s challenge is not a lack of capability, but the need for stronger coordination to translate research into scalable innovation and global impact.
CEBR’s voice: connecting ecosystems to unlock innovation
In her contribution, Montserrat Daban emphasises the importance of building a coherent and connected innovation system across Europe:
Her perspective reflects CEBR’s long-standing commitment to strengthening collaboration between regional biotech clusters as a driver of innovation, competitiveness and resilience.
Recognition in European policy discourse
In parallel, Montserrat Daban’s voice perspective is also featured today in POLITICO Europe’s newsletter where she was recently interviewed in the context of the Biotech Act debate. Her inclusion in one of Europe’s leading policy media outlets underscores the growing relevance of regional innovation ecosystems in shaping European life sciences policy.
The Think Tank report and the broader policy discussions reinforce a shared message: Europe’s future leadership in biotechnology will depend on its ability to connect its strengths — across regions, sectors and stakeholders — into a truly integrated innovation ecosystem.
Looking ahead
As the European Commission advances the implementation of the Biotech Act, contributions from organisations such as CEBR and its network will be essential to ensure that policy translates into tangible impact on the ground.
More information: https://eithealth.eu/think-tank-topic/biotechact/
