Nanotechnology Law Report

Rumors from "across the pond" indicate that a forthcoming official recommendation to the European Union will be that nano-specific regulations are not needed in the EU.

The information is coming from EurActive (via Nanowerk because the EurActive website is down as of this posting), and it is citing a European Commission official who stated a document to be published this Spring will argue that current EU laws and regulation sufficiently cover nanotechnology and nanomaterials.

The European Food Safety Authority is expected to release a study  on risk assessment and nanotechnology issues, but there are no indications as to what that report may reveal at this stage.  It is also unclear if this is the report that EurActive is referring to.

I think its too early in the process to try and predict what the official recommendations to the Commission will be.  And, even then, the Commission will be free to take or leave the recommendation as it sees fit.  Just because the recommendation is to not enact new legislation or regulation, doesn't mean new legislation won't be forthcoming.  But, it looks like a report is imminent, which will shed some light on this rumor.  Stay tuned.