28 June, 2019
On 26 June the EU Environment Minsters adopted conclusions from their meeting. Among the conclusions nanomaterials were mentioned as follows:
'[The Council] STRESSES the need to gather information on uses and exposure regarding nanomaterials and to update and improve risk assessment and validated test methods in this respect; URGES the Commission to finalise the review of the Recommendation on the definition of nanomaterials, revise it as necessary and ensure that nanomaterials are consistently identified and addressed in all legislation by a legally binding definition;
[The Council] NOTES that ECHA in 2017 launched the EU-Observatory on Nanomaterials (EUON) with a mandate until 2020; REQUESTS the Commission to extend ECHA’s mandate to collect and make available research data on the characterization, the hazard and potential exposure of nanoforms of substances that were so far not registered under REACH because their yearly tonnage is below the threshold of 1 tonne/year and to regularly ask ECHA to evaluate the performance and the impact of EUON.'
The Council discussions were in relation to a sustainable EU chemicals policy strategy.
