Council of Europe Debates Nanotechnology Regulation
STRASBOURG, France – In 2012, the Council of Europe (CoE) Parliamentary Assembly began the first steps towards nanotechnology regulation with a view to respecting scientific precautionary principles. It commissioned an expert report, “Nanotechnology: balancing benefits and risks to public health and the environment,” which was enthusiastically accepted at the CoE meeting of the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development in November 2012. That same report was open for public debate before the entire Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly in Strasbourg, France, on April 26, 2013.
The report outlines essential European legal concepts for public discourse concerning nanotechnology safety and the regulation of nanotechnology in commerce. First, the report offers an overview of the legal landscape in nanotechnology regulation: bioethics issues, impact on human and non-human health, environmental impact, and the promise of nanomedicine for improving quality of life. Second, the report helps to chart a path regarding possible treaties or international agreements governing the use and monitoring of nanotechnology.