Nanotechnologies high on political agenda

In early April 2009, the European Parliament’s ENVI Committee voted in favour of adopting a report by Swedish Green MEP Carl Schlyter calling for tighter controls on nanotechnology. His report drew on the principle of ’no data, no market’ enshrined in the REACH Directive.

Although the report was own-initiative and non-binding, it nevertheless marks a significant step forward in the ongoing debate on how to legislate the fast-moving advances in nano-science. The report calls for products containing nanotechnology which are already on the market to be withdrawn until safety assessments can be made.

Leading environmental groups insist that current safety testing methods are unable to address the issue of nanomaterials in products, and they therefore demand that a precise definition of what is considered nanotechnology, a review of existing legislation, and the implementation of a labelling scheme to inform consumers.

The ENVI Committee’s decision came one week after the European Parliament vote on the Novel Food Regulation, where MEPs voted for definition, labelling provisions, and specific risk assessments for foods containing nano-particles.

The European Environmental Bureau released a press statement in which they call for nanomaterials to be addressed explicitly within the scope of the REACH Directive and legislation currently under discussion, such as the Novel Food Regulation, the Provision of Food Information to Consumers Regulation and the Cosmetics Directive.

The Commission has launched a public consultation on the use of nanotechnology with three main objectives:

 identification of any possible topics which have not been covered in the opinions from the relevant EU Risk Assessment Committees and Bodies;

 identification of what are, according to current scientific knowledge, the main potential risks that could emerge from the use of nanomaterials in the future; and

 identification of the issues to be discussed at the hearing, including provision of background information and comments on those issues.

The outcome of the consultation, which EPHA will contribute to, will be heard at a scientific hearing in September 2009.

EPHA Comments

Whilst recognising that nanotechnology does have the potential to benefit consumers, EPHA argues that a policy framework is needed for safe and responsible development taking into account the potential for adverse effects on human health and the environment. Until this is in place, there must be strict controls on their presence in products destined for consumer use. The policy initiatives being led by the European institutions do represent an advance, but EPHA stresses the need to collect more long-term evidence as to their impact.

For more information

 Commission Consultation

 European Environmental Bureau

Related EPHA articles

 EFSA calls for Scientific data on applications of Nanotechnology and Nanomaterials used in Food and Feed, February 2008