European Commission adopts communication on nanotechnologies
The European Commission presented a series of actions to be taken at European and national level in order to boost European competitiveness in nanotechnology when it adopted, on 12 May, the communication 'towards a European Strategy for nanotechnology'. Five areas are identified, namely: research and development (R&D); infrastructure; education and training; innovation; and the societal dimension. If Europe strengthens its efforts, it will benefit from a market which analysts say will potentially be worth billions of euro by 2010. Europe started early with nanotechnology investment but, because of a lack of a harmonised innovation policy at EU level, obstacles to the mobility of researchers, difficulties for start-ups in obtaining risk capital and support in management, coupled with problems of patenting, the absence of a strong entrepreneurial culture in Europe and unfavourable framework conditions for innovation, it is starting to loose its leading position. Thus, for Europe to remain competitive at world level it must take immediate action, focusing and coordinating at EU level, states the Commission in its communication. The key actions outlined in the communication are to 'increase investment and coordination of [Research and Development] R&D to reinforce the industrial exploitation of nanotechnologies; develop 'poles of excellences' that take into account the needs of both industry and research organisations; promote the interdisciplinary education and training of research personnel together with a strong entrepreneurial mindset; ensuring favourable conditions for technology transfer and innovation for European R&D excellence to be translated into wealth-generating products and processes.' The Commission also emphasises the need to address the public's perceptions of nanotechnology as well as the need for the responsible development of those technologies. Public health, safety, environmental and consumer protection are also addressed in the communication. Nanoscience and nanotechnologies are new approaches to R&D, working on matter at the level of atoms and molecules. Applications of nanoscience are emerging and are expected, within a few years, to have an impact on all technological sectors. Research in nanotechnologies will lead to new development in areas such as healthcare, food and environmental research, information technology, security, new materials and energy production and storage. Europe at present, however, is investing less in this field than the US and Japan, and unlike its competitors, does not have a centralised nanotechnology R&D programme. 'The EU 6th Research Framework Programme (2002-2006) devotes 1.3 billion euro to nanotechnology and new materials, and the Commission aims to step up this effort in the broader context of the proposed doubling of the EU research budget in the 2007-2013 period. The Communication also proposes a number of other measures as part of an integrated strategy where all players, both public and private, should join forces,' explained the Commission in a statement.