Commission revises the definition of nanomaterials

The European Commission is clarifying the definition of nanomaterials in a new Recommendation. A deliverable of the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, the new Recommendation supports a coherent EU regulatory framework for nanomaterials, helping to align legislation across all sectors. The new definition should be used in EU and national legislation, policy or research programmes.

The new definition replaces the initial definition of 2011. The changes were developed following a comprehensive review, and should allow easier and more efficient implementation, but will not significantly affect the scope of identified nanomaterials.

Individual definitions of nanomaterials still exist in EU legislation in the food and cosmetics sector, while other EU laws (e.g. REACH, Biocidal Products Regulation, Medical Devices Regulation) and some national legislation already use the common definition from the Commission Recommendation 2011/696/EU, making it legally binding within their scope. Following this update, the Commission will now strive to use the revised definition to align legislation across all sectors.

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