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News Article

Nanotechnology

The European Union (EU) Competitiveness Council has called for continuity between the Sixth and Seventh Framework programmes (FP6 and FP7), but with initiatives to simplify procedures.

The European Union (EU) Competitiveness Council has called for continuity between the Sixth and Seventh Framework programmes (FP6 and FP7), but with initiatives to simplify procedures. The framework programmes are EU initiatives to fund and develop European research for future manufacturing opportunities. Ministers also stressed the need for the reinforcement of nanotechnology research at the European level.

The council reviewed the findings of an expert panel charged with carrying out a mid-term evaluation of the new instruments of the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) and endorsed its findings. The main conclusions of the review were that the new instruments and their aims are justified, but that more needs to be done to ensure that smaller and less experienced entities are able to participate in the programmes and that the instruments are correctly understood.

The council also welcomes the European Commission (EC) intention to introduce corrective measures to clarify the objectives of the new instruments and what is meant by "critical mass". The aim is to improve participation by industry, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and entities from the new EU member states, and to improve procedures for consortia building and proposal submission. On nanotechnology, ministers emphasised the important potential of nanosciences and nanotechnologies in areas such as health care, information technologies, materials sciences, manufacturing, instrumentation, energy, environment, security and space.

The Council would like the EC to draw up an action plan for nanotechnology following a stakeholder debate. The EC was also asked to engage in an international dialogue with a view to establishing a framework of shared principles for the safe, sustainable, responsible and socially acceptable development and use of nanotechnologies.

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