The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has recently issued a document entitled Current Developments/Activities on the Safety of Manufactured Nanomaterials, which provides information on the outcomes and developments of the OECD Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials (WPMN) related to the safety of manufactured nanomaterials. OECD states that the document provides a snapshot of information on current and planned activities related to the safety of manufactured nanomaterials in OECD member countries and other delegations that attended the 8th meeting of the WPMN in Paris on 16-18 March 2011. The document also includes written reports on current activities from other international organizations such as the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and World Health Organization (WHO).

Electronic version of the OECD Report

Source: Nanotechnology Law Blog

The European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) has published a policy brief addressing the needs for governance of, and the establishment of a registry for, nanomaterial-containing articles. It claims more comprehensive data is urgently needed to improve knowledge of what is on the market, who is exposed and what should be regulated, and calls for the harmonization of national initiatives in the interests of protection of human and environmental health.

Source: ETUI

Policy Brief

A working document detailing proposed priorities for 2012 in the EC FP7 Cooperation - Theme 4: Nanosciences, Nanotechnologies, Materials and New Production Technologies (NMP) programme, has been published by the European Commission.

The working paper is not legally binding, pending adoption of the final agreed and published version, but indicates likely areas for research calls under the theme in the coming year.

Working Document

Source: Europa