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April 29, 2009

EC Begins Public Consultation to Prepare for Scientific Hearing on Nanotechnology

Lynn L. Bergeson

The European Commission (EC) will hold a scientific hearing on nanotechnology on September 10, 2009. The hearing will focus on the scientific aspects of the issues covered in the nanotechnology opinions issued by the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) and the Scientific Committee on Consumer Products (SCCP) (which is now replaced by the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS)). To prepare for the hearing, the EC is launching a public consultation relating to the three main objectives to be addressed:

  • Identification of any possible topics which have not been covered in the opinions from the relevant European Union (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 will be presented at the scientific hearing.  Comments are due June 19, 2009.