The main objective of BIOSTRAT is to support the further development of a European Biodiversity Research Strategy. Such Research Strategy brings together ideas on research priorities in fundamental and applied sciences to address critical gaps in know ledge on the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. This Strategy is intended to support the decision-making process regarding biodiversity-related research at both the European scale and in individual EU Member States by linking existing structures. Rather than developing new structures BIOSTRAT will provide specific support to EPBRS (European Platform for Biodiversity Research Strategy), which provides a representative forum for researchers, science and environmental policy makers, and National Biodiversity Platforms.

At the same time BIOSTRAT will ensure that other European and international efforts to develop research strategies in different fields of biodiversity research are linked to the development of a European Research Strategy through t he EPBRS forum. BIOSTRAT will, therefore, support other international initiatives to link their efforts to the European Biodiversity Research Strategy.

The overall objective will be achieved by:
- Supporting the European Platform for Biodiversity Research Strategy (EPBRS) to develop and continually revise the EU Biodiversity Research Strategy
- Including the results of existing and ongoing biodiversity research projects in the development of the EU Biodiversity Research Strategy.
- Linking the EU Biodiversity Research Strategy to the national, European and international funding programmes, especially the ERA-Nets related to biodiversity issues
- Incorporating GEOSS objectives in the EU Biodiversity Research Strategy
- Linking EU Biodiversity Research Strategy with international initiatives including the multi-stakeholder consultative process of the Paris Conference, the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, the 2010 target, ESRI, GTI, GBIF, CBD, DIVERSITAS