New EU rules on nanomaterials cause controversy
By Guy Montague-Jones, 26-Mar-2009
The provisions for nanomaterials in the recast of the EU Cosmetics Directive have come in for criticism from campaigners.
In the run up to this week’s vote in the European Parliament, campaigners pushed for safeguards on nanomaterials to be added to the legislation.
The adopted regulation is now the first EU law to address nanomaterials and has been welcomed as “ground breaking” by Green MEP Hiltrud Breyer.
In a statement, Breyer said the vote marks a radical departure from the current EU Commission position, which has so far argued that existing legislation is adequate.
European consumer association BEUC also welcomed the regulation as an “important step” but voiced some reservations about the rules.
