German Speaking Countries Call For Nano Update of REACH by 2020

A call for nano-specific adaptations of the legal framework of REACH by 2020 was presented to a meeting of EU environment ministers on Monday.

The request, made by Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Liechtenstein, was among the recommendations set out in a ‘Vienna Declaration’, adopted at the latest annual meeting of the Nano-Authorities Dialogue.

These were "taken note of" by the ministers at the EU Environment Council meeting in Luxembourg.

Three years ago, environment ministers from Germany, Austria and Luxembourg were among a large group which urged the European Commission to hurry and update REACH to take fuller account of nanomaterials. However, a formal proposal from the Commission has yet to emerge.

The five countries also said that "uniform and sound testing and detection techniques, measuring methods and criteria are indispensable to assess the potential health and environmental risks presented by nanomaterials", and that "the elements already covered by the OECD need to be applied swiftly in a legally binding manner".

The Nano-Authorities Dialogue is a forum established in 2007 by Swiss-based consultancy the Innovation Society.