After an impact assessment process that lasted several years, and even before its finalisation and approval by the Regulatory Scrutiny Board, the Commission has decided against an EU nanomaterial registry. Instead, it has opted to task the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) to develop a nanomaterial observatory [2]. Yesterday\u2019s meeting was supposed to provide more details about this new mechanism, but in reality it provided little hope that the observatory will be able to address the pressing information gaps about nanomaterials on the market.<\/p>\n
Dolores Romano, EEB Senior Policy Officer Chemicals, <\/strong>said:<\/p>\n \u201cA register is key to developing and enforcing regulations governing nanomaterials to protect the environment and the health of workers and citizens. A voluntary information platform can never replace a compulsory register<\/em>. This would help generate new information and enable nanomaterials to be traceable, thereby allowing the safe use of them and giving citizens an informed choice\u201d.<\/em> [3]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n David Azoulay, Senior Attorney for the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL),<\/strong> commented:<\/p>\n \u201cFrom the failure to adopt the REACH<\/em> framework to ensure the effective collection of data about nanomaterials to the refusal to publish <\/em>the catalogue of nanomaterials mandated<\/em> by the<\/em> EU <\/em>Cosmetic<\/em>s Regulation, the C<\/em>ommission has consistently failed<\/em> in<\/em> its duty to col<\/em>lect and make available<\/em> information about nanomaterials to the public and regulators<\/em>.<\/em> Based on what we heard during yesterday\u2019s workshop, the future nanomaterial<\/em>s<\/em> observatory portends to be yet<\/em> another failed (and expensive)<\/em> Commission<\/em> nanomaterials initiative that will not change this fact.<\/em>\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Sylvia Maurer, <\/strong>Head of Sustainability and Safety at the European Consumer Organisation (<\/strong>BEUC)<\/strong>, added:<\/p>\n “The Commission sadl<\/em>y refuses to impose any costs on<\/em> industry for the collection and provision of information about nanomaterials. I<\/em>nstead, it has chosen to shift<\/em> financial costs and health and environmental risks<\/em> on<\/em> to society and consumers<\/em>.<\/em>\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Notes for editors:<\/strong><\/p>\n [1] European Environmental Bureau (EEB), BEUC, ClientEarth, Centre for International Environmental Law (CIEL), ECOS, ANEC, Healthcare Without Harm, Okeo-Institut.<\/p>\n [2] The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) will develop the observatory as part of its 2015-18 nanomaterials workplan.<\/p>\n