Consultation launch of Responsible NanoCode for business

A consultation on seven principles of responsible practice for organisations working in the rapidly developing area of nanotechnologies has been launched today (24 September 2007).

The ‘Responsible NanoCode’ has been drafted by a working group established by the Royal Society, Insight Investment, the Nanotechnology Industries Association and the Nanotechnology Knowledge Transfer Network. The working group also includes representatives from companies, scientists, governments, non governmental organisations and trade unions including the chemical company BASF, Unilever, Smith & Nephew, the consumer group Which?, the development NGO Practical Action and the trade union Amicus.

The aim of the ‘Responsible NanoCode’ is to establish an international consensus on what constitutes good practice and to provide guidance on what organisations and businesses can do to demonstrate they are responsibly managing them while the need for further regulation is being evaluated. It is hoped that the voluntary code will contribute to ensuring nanotechnologies achieve their full potential in delivering health, environmental, social and economic benefits at a time when businesses are dealing with technical, social, regulatory and commercial uncertainties concerning these relatively new technologies.

Lord Selborne, chair of the working group, said: “One of the key strengths of the ‘Responsible NanoCode’ is that the working group is made up from, and engaging with, a wide range of businesses, organisations and individuals that are interested in the development of nanotechnologies.

“As a set of high level principles the Code will be aimed at company boards and governing bodies, and we hope they will then be used to inform the whole range of an organisation’s or business’ practices. Because the Code does not primarily focus on operational detail, a wide range of companies and organisations will be able to adopt it.

“We are looking to receive input on the draft Code from a broad range of organisations and individuals from around the world. We would also like organisations to tell us whether they would actually adopt such a Code, how they could be encouraged to do so and how to best evaluate whether those who do sign up are adhering to its principles.”



The Code’s proposed Seven Principles, which will be underpinned by indicators of behaviour a company adopting the Code should display, are:

1. Each Organisation should ensure that responsibility for guiding and managing its involvement with nanotechnologies resides with the Board or governing body

2. Each Organisation should proactively engage with its stakeholders and be responsive to their views in its development or use of products using nanotechnologies

3. Each Organisation should identify and minimise sources of risk for workers handling products using nanotechnologies, at all stages in the production process or in industrial use, to ensure high standards of occupational health and safety

4. Each Organisation should carry out thorough risk assessments and minimise any potential public health, safety and environmental risks relating to its products using nanotechnologies

5. Each Organisation should consider and respond to any social and ethical implications and impacts in the development or sale of products using nanotechnologies

6. Each Organisation should adopt responsible practice in the sales and marketing of products using nanotechnologies

7. Each Organisation should engage with suppliers and/or business partners to encourage and stimulate their adoption of the Code and so assure its own ability to fulfil its Code commitments

More information and a complete draft copy of the Code can be found at http://www.responsiblenanocode.org/

The consultation will run until Monday 12 November. Organisations or individuals interested in being involved should e-mail their comments to consultation@responsiblenanocode.org.

PETeC ground-breaking marks start of North East plastic electronics revolution

Cenamps, in partnership with the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI), hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for PETeC on 27th July 2007. PETeC, a unique plastics electronics technology centre, is set to establish North East England as a global leader in the application of plastic electronics.

The first spade was inserted into the ground starting construction of the £10m project at NETPark, County Durham, where the new facility is to be based.

PETeC will be established as a national prototyping operation providing world-class facilities, services and expertise at the hub of a UK-wide network in plastic electronics. The state-of-the-art facilities will include high-tech clean rooms and laboratories, as well as production and testing equipment which will be available on an open access basis to meet the needs of industry.

PETeC will offer space, resource and expertise for companies to research and develop new technologies and their applications, prototyping and pre-competitive stage mini-manufacturing of products based on plastic electronics. These will include smart packaging, real-time smart packaging, real-time newspapers, intelligent signage, point-of-care medical diagnostic devices, novel drug delivery devices, printed electronics for consumer products, flexible solar cells and solid state lighting.

Dr Mike Pitkethly, CEO of Cenamps commented: “This centre will provide a bridge between the lab and the factory to facilitate the commercialisation of new products. With ever-increasing competition from places such as India and China, it is crucial that the UK continues to offer the world class facilities for developing plastic electronic products, and PETeC will be integral to the UK’s competitiveness in this emerging group of technologies”.

The project has been funded by One NorthEast, The Northern Way and the European Regional Development Fund.

For further information contact: enquiries@uk-petec.com

Check out the European Stats on Innovation

The changing map of Europe, showing member states and would be member states. The information below was release by the European Commission during January 2007:

• In 2005 the EU27 spent just over 200 billion euro on Research & Development (R&D)

• R&D intensity (i.e. expenditure as a percentage of GDP) in the EU27 stood at 1.84%, the same as in 2004. R&D intensity remained significantly lower in the EU27 than in other major economies. In 2004, R&D expenditure was 2.68% of GDP in the United States, 3.18% in Japan, while it has reached 1.34% in China in 2005.

• R&D expenditure in the EU27 rose by 1.5% in real terms on average per year between 2001 and 2005, compared to 1.7% in the United States and 2.0% in Japan between 2001 and 2004.

• Check out all the states here.
  

Shak Gohir

EU research budget 2007 - 2013, FP7

The Europe Union is finalising its budget for Framework Programme Seven. So its time to check the figures.

To those who are not in the know, FP7 is the programme through which the European Commission will manage the allocation of its budget for R&D in scientific research and technology development - with the strategic aim to strengthen the European economy and global competitive position. Aligning R&D investment with societal, business, global and economic needs and challenges sits at the heart of the Commissions objectives for FP7.

Today Cordis released a news article indicating that the Commission will be adopting "an amended proposal for the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), which seeks to incorporate amendments made by the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers in their first readings"

FP7 will run for a period of 7 years, from 2007 to 2013. During 2005 the Commission's proposed budget was around 72 billion euro. The budget for FP7 now stands near 48 billion euro, as indicated by EARTO in their news release during May 2006.

The budget for FP6 was 16.3 billion euros and ran over a five year period from 2002 to 2006, for 15 member states. FP7 will be running over 7 years with 25 member states all seeking to participate and access to their share of the funds.

If you have been following the progress of FP7, you will already know that it includes the establishment of a European Reseach Council (ERC) . The ERC will focus on leading edge frontier reseach, with its activities been very much independent of the themes segmented in "Cooperation". ERC will have the ability to conduct its own strategic studies to help direct its operations and activities.

When the Commission initially put forward its proposal for FP7 during April 2005, it requested 11,826 billion euros. Since then the figure has been reduced significantly to 7,460 billion euro.

MEPs have requested a review of the ERC during 2008. The Commission requires more time before a viable review is possible. Janez Potocnik, the EU Commissioner for Science and Research has agreed with the European Parliment that the ERC review will be no later than 2010.

Shak Gohir

Business & Programme Manager