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Nanotech Policy Talk Around The World
by Winter Casey
Policymakers from around the world are weighing the best approaches to embrace the tiny science of nanotechnology. Some experts want to encourage its development but also want safety and environmental concerns to be addressed.
According to a new Canadian policy paper, nanotechnology funding should consider how to protect the environment and human health. "In Canada at present, there is no formal regulatory or explicit public policy framework for managing the risks and benefits of this technology, nor for informing and consulting the public about issues related to it," according to a discussion paper released in June by the Canadian Institute for Environmental Law and Policy.
Canadian policy should emphasize a "foresightful, precautionary approach to potential nanotechnology risks, not only for reasons of responsibility to protect human health and the environment but also to prevent the curtailment of valuable projects because of public reaction to a serious failure in this responsibility," wrote Susan Holtz, a policy consultant for the institute.
The paper also calls for more attention to ways to foster public awareness of nanotechnology, which refers to materials with at least one dimension measured at 100 nanometers or less. "It is imperative to start immediately to prepare a comprehensive regulatory regime, even though much data for well-studied, science-based regulation is simply not yet there," the paper holds.
The report further states that issues related to the terminology and metrology need to be resolved as soon as possible, and nanomaterials used in consumer products should be disclosed on labels.
Understanding the potential uses of nanotechnology by terrorists and how to minimize their consequences should be a part of the policy agenda, according to the paper. Holtz also advocates that intellectual property rules be formed to encourage open access to nanotech science.
Across the Atlantic Ocean, the United Kingdom's nanotechnology task force, convened by the University of Surrey, was launched June 25 to promote public debate about the science. The group plans to focus on the economic, social and environmental benefits of nanotech, as well as safety and ethical concerns.
The task force "intends to focus political attention more clearly on policies and infrastructures necessary to facilitate the development of nanosciences. In particular, it will present the case both for increased financial support and the importance of a coherent, centralized strategy for supporting nanotechnology in the U.K."
According to the group, "Sensible regulation can minimize risks and establish a framework in which nanotechnology is used to fulfill broadly agreed societal goals."
Those involved in the task force include Ian Gibson, a member of Parliament, and Ravi Silva, director of the Advanced Technology Institute at the University of Surrey.
In Russia, meanwhile, the lower house of Parliament adopted a law last week to establish a nanotech corporation.
"The corporation's functions will include interaction between government, business and scientists on the implementation of state policy in nanotechnology and the nano industry, and organizational and financial assistance to programs and selection of nanotech projects," according to the Russian news service RIA Novosti.
The Russian government also has created a state council for nanotechnology that will be chaired by First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov. Russia plans to allocate $7.7 billion toward the development of nanotechnology until 2015.
Bush Wants Quick Action On Peru Trade Deal
President Bush called on Congress this week to take action on the pending U.S. Peru free-trade agreement before lawmakers break for August recess.
Bush and his wife hosted a conference Monday that focused "on sharing lessons learned on how to promote education, health care and economic opportunity at the grassroots level, and public-private partnerships throughout the hemisphere."
The president also urged Congress to quickly move to approve other pending trade pacts with Colombia, Panama and South Korea. He noted in a statement that his administration and Congress reached an agreement May 10 on a path toward deals with those countries. "Congress must now show good faith by taking action on these agreements," Bush said.
Also on the trade front, Swiss Economic Affairs Minister Doris Leuthard and Chinese Commerce Minister Bo Xilai agreed to study the feasibility of a trade deal between the two countries. Switzerland said it has recognized China as a market economy.
During a meeting Sunday, the two ministers arranged to create a working group that would focus on improving the protection of intellectual property rights. The Swiss ministry also said the countries have established a working group to encourage business investment with each other.
Japan Now Prefers 'Open' Software
Japan has adopted a government policy designed to give preference to software products that support "open" standards, according to the OpenDocument Format Alliance. Under the policy, government ministries and agencies will solicit bids from software vendors whose products meet open standards.
"By giving preference to open software formats such as ODF, it is saying that information should be competitively priced, innovative and easily available to the widest range of people, now and in the future," Marino Marcich, managing director of the ODF Alliance, said in a statement. "We hail Japan for its diligence and vision."
The alliance promotes the OpenDocument Format, which as of yet is the only such standard approved by the International Standards Organization.
Last year, an open-document format from Microsoft known as Open XML was approved by the international standards body Ecma International. Marcich said Japan's policy mentioned ODF, not Open XML, as an example of an open format in Japan's framework.
In the past, groups such as Americans for Technology Leadership, the Association for Competitive Technology and the Computing Technology Industry Association have argued against any government favoritism of one type of software or technology over another. Microsoft, which has been a strong proponent of proprietary software, is a member of all three groups. Big tech firms such as IBM and Sun Microsystems are members of the ODF Alliance.
ACT Executive Director Morgan Reed said IBM and other companies have attempted to influence governments to embrace ODF but ignore Microsoft's open standard. Reed said governments should be able to say they want technology that supports certain goals like openness, but they should not choose specific technologies or products.
Japan joins other countries, including Belgium, Brazil, Croatia, Denmark, Malaysia and Norway, that have taken policy actions toward open standards.
European Study Addresses RFID And Privacy
A new study from the European Parliament's body that assesses scientific technology options focuses on radio-frequency identification technology and privacy issues surrounding the tracking tags.
The study recommends that governments should make clear whether RFID data will be studied for investigations. It also suggests that if personal data from different RFID systems is combined, the entity responsible for handling the data should be made clear.
The European Union Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency, meanwhile, is looking for groups interested in conducting a study on the impact of information and communications technologies in primary schools. The deadline for contract proposals is Sept. 4.
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