On March 5, 2021, the European Commission’s (EC) Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) published its final opinion on copper (nano) and colloidal copper (nano). According to the final opinion, nine manufacturers notified the EC about 36 different products containing nanosized copper. After initial evaluation and a request for additional information, two manufacturers withdrew their products from the notification, and these seven products were excluded from evaluation,...
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By Lynn L. Bergeson On February 23, 2021, the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) announced that in association with other relevant Directorates-General (DG) of the European Commission (EC), DG Environment has opened a call for applications to select members for an expert group, the High-Level Roundtable on Implementation of the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability. According to EU-OSHA, the expert group’s mission “is to set the Chemicals Strategy for...
February 25, 2021
EC Calls for Applications for Expert Group on Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability
On February 23, 2021, the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) announced that in association with other relevant Directorates-General (DG) of the European Commission (EC), DG Environment has opened a call for applications to select members for an expert group, the High-Level Roundtable on Implementation of the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability. According to EU-OSHA, the expert group’s mission “is to set the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability...
February 10, 2021
EC DG Invites Offers for Study on Providing Market Data about Nanotechnology to Enhance Transparency
In December 2020, the European Commission (EC) Directorate-General (DG) for Research and Innovation opened a call for tenders for “Providing market data about nanotechnology to enhance transparency.” The description states that the study on nanotechnology/nanomaterials is aimed to provide a new set of data from the period of 2017 to 2020 into the NanoData database, available on the European Union (EU) Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) website. This study will follow up on...
January 12, 2021
SCCS Opinion on the Safety of Nanomaterials in Cosmetics Includes Prioritized List of Nanomaterials for Risk Assessment
On January 11, 2021, the European Commission’s (EC) Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) posted a final opinion entitled Scientific Advice on the Safety of Nanomaterials in Cosmetics. The EC requested that SCCS determine the nanomaterials, as published in the 2019 catalogue of nanomaterials, for which specific concerns can be identified and justified to establish a priority list of nanomaterials for risk assessment (Article 16(4) Reg. 1223/2009). The final opinion...
December 11, 2020
EUON Conducting Web Satisfaction Survey
The European Union (EU) Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) is conducting a web satisfaction survey. EUON provides information on the safety, innovation, research, and uses of nanomaterials on the EU market. It is intended for stakeholders developing policies in the area, consumers, industry representatives, and non-governmental organizations. EUON is funded by the European Commission (EC) and hosted and maintained by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). Information from the survey...
November 11, 2020
EC Requests Scientific Opinion on UV-Filter HAA299 (Nano)
On November 2, 2020, the European Commission (EC) requested a scientific opinion from the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) on the ultraviolet (UV) filter HAA299 (nano) (chemical name “2-(4-(2-(4-Diethylamino-2 hydroxy-benzoyl)-benzoyl)-piperazine-1-carbonyl)-phenyl)-(4-diethylamino-2-hydroxyphenyl)-methanone”). According to the EC’s request, the applicant seeks to assess the safety of HAA299 (nano) for use as a UV filter up to a maximum concentration of...
November 10, 2020
EC Committee Preliminary Opinions on Hydroxyapatite (Nano) and Copper (Nano) and Colloidal Copper (Nano) Available for Comment
On November 9, 2020, the European Commission (EC) Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) published two draft opinions for public comment. In the preliminary opinion on hydroxyapatite (nano), SCCS considered whether the nanomaterial hydroxyapatite is safe when used in leave-on and rinse-off dermal and oral cosmetic products according to the reported maximum concentrations and specifications, taking into account reasonably foreseeable exposure conditions. SCCS states that...
November 6, 2020
EC Approves Sweden’s Prolongation Of Tax Exemption For Biofuels
By Lynn L. Bergeson On October 8, 2020, the European Commission (EC), under the European Union (EU) State aid rules, approved the prolongation of tax exemptions for biofuels in Sweden. Having exemptions for liquid biofuels from energy and carbon emissions taxation since 2002, Sweden’s scheme aims to increase biofuels use while reducing the fossil fuels use in transport. With EC’s decision, the tax exemption has now been prolonged by one year from January 1, 2021, until...
The European Parliament (EP) announced on October 8, 2020, that it objected to a European Commission (EC) proposal to amend the specification for the use of titanium dioxide (E171) in food products. The EP rejected the EC’s proposal to reduce the amount of titanium dioxide (E171), instead calling on the EC “to apply the precautionary principle and to remove E171 from the EU list of permitted food additives that are currently used mainly to colour confectionery, bakery...