International conference to conclude the NanoDialoue of the Federal Government

International experts attended a two-day conference in Berlin on 22 and 23 June 2023. These representatives of businesses, authorities, environmental and consumer associations and the scientific community came together to discuss optimal use of the opportunities presented by nanomaterials while minimising risks to the environment and human health. The conference theme was “How the world deals with materials on the nanoscale”.

The conference was the final event in the NanoDialogue of the Federal Government. This internationally unique stakeholder dialogue on the opportunities and risks of nanotechnologies was launched by the Federal Environment Ministry and continued successfully for 16 years.

The conference was held in cooperation with the OECD. State Secretary Dr Christiane Rohleder opened the event. She emphasised: “A key factor in the success of the NanoDialogue was considering the benefits and risks of the technologies in parallel. This led to a balanced discussion and constructive dialogue among the stakeholders. The concrete results also reflect this success. The NanoKommission ultimately initiated the regulation of nanomaterials under the EU REACH Regulation."

In the first part of the event, the attendees from all relevant stakeholder groups reflected on the various topics and aspects of the NanoDialogue. When asked about the factors in its success, they highlighted its interdisciplinary participants, the safe and established framework of the discussions and the neutral moderation of the event.

In the second part of the conference, example legislation on the sound management of nanomaterials from the EU, the USA, India, Canada and Malaysia illustrated the diversity of regulatory approaches around the world. The importance of standardising test methods for risk assessment was a focus, as was the possibility of non-regulatory instruments such as implementation guidelines or national strategies in the safe management of nanomaterials. The NanoDialogue of the Federal Government closed with talks on the applications of nanomaterials in consumer products, water purification and medicine.

State Secretary Rohleder commented: “We will stay in touch, very much in the spirit of the NanoDialogue. Because we can only achieve environmental and health goals if we work together and create a robust framework for safe innovation.”