On July 2, 2014 the European Commission’s (EC) Directorate General Joint Research Center (DG JRC) published a report showing that industry struggles to implement the recommended EU definition of nanomaterials. The report points out that the lack of standardized, validated methods for measuring nanomaterials constitutes a major challenge for industry and that practical guidance on how to implement the definition is needed. Authorities also expressed a need for standardized methods and specific documentation. Currently, authorities accept a variety of other methods wherever such standardized methods are absent. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) criticized in the report that the current definition proposal does not distinguish between natural, incidental and engineered nanomaterials. The DG JRC report shall feedback into a second report on the nanomaterial definition. A third and final report by the end of 2014 shall provide recommendations to improve content and implementation of the definition.
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JRC (July 4, 2014). “Towards a review of the EC Recommendation for a definition of the term “nanomaterial” Part 1: Compilation of information concerning the experience with the definition.” (pdf)
