Brussels Update

7 August 2008



The latest news from the heart of the EU


Health effects of nanoparticles

A European Observatory on Nanotechnologies is to be created, charged with predicting and detecting the potential environmental health problems caused by the increasing use of nanoparticles in consumer products and their packaging.

Coordinated by the Institute of Nanotechnology in Glasgow, Scotland, the new European body will receive €4m (£3.2m) from the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme research budget, involving 17 EU organisations with relevant expertise. In addition to safety, it will assess the potential social impacts of nanotechnology and consider the ethics involved, publishing its findings in due course. Project coordinator Dr Mark Morrison said that he hoped its website would help consumers "make informed decisions". For more information, go to www.nano.org.uk or www.observatory-nano.eu.

UN agency underwrites Ukrainian canning plant

The World Bank's Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) is planning to issue a $21m (£11m) guarantee to underwrite a major expansion of capacity in the Ukrainian beverage canning sector. The money would cover Polish-headquartered company Can-Pack against the risks of transfer restriction, expropriation, war and civil disturbance. This relates to its existing aluminium can plant in Vyshgorod, Ukraine, which is being expanded to increase capacity from 650 to 950m cans. MIGA officials recently decided that this installation, assembly and operation of new production line equipment would be environmentally sound, following a detailed impact assessment. A MIGA note commented that: "The expansion will meet increased demand in Ukraine and surrounding countries."

Norway loses its bottle

Norway is being threatened with legal action at the European Free Trade Area

(EFTA) Court regarding alleged discriminatory taxation of imported non-refillable beverage packaging. Under Norway's membership of the European Economic Area (EEA), it cannot tax products made in other EEA states differently from Norwegian products. However, the EFTA Surveillance Authority claims that, by levying a special tax (grunnavgift) on bottles and cans that cannot be reused, "imported beverages are de facto taxed more heavily than similar or competing domestic products." This is because imported bottles and cans are usually not welcomed in local reuse schemes.


The EU has tasked the European Observatory on Nanotechnologies with predicting the environmental health problems related to the use of nanoparticles in consumer products. Brussels - central to European Legislation

Brussels - central to European Legislation Brussels - central to European Legislation


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