A governance for nanotechnology

The Conference, where it has been presented also the “2nd AIRI/Nanotec IT Census of Nanotechnology in Italy", has confirmed the importance that nanotechnology has gained within both academia and industry in Italy and has offered to opportunity to discuss how to promote a responsible development of nanotechnology so that eventual adverse effects are timely identified and prevented. With their presentations Renzo Tomellini (Head of the Unit Nanoscience and Nanotechnology at EC), Julia Moore (Deputy Director, Project on Emerging Technologies, USA), Terry Wilkins (Chief Executive, NanoManufacturing Institute, UK) and Christoph Meili (CEO, Innovation Society Ltd, Switzerland), have pointed out that cooperation, at national and international level, for adequate risk assessment, an open and balanced discussion involving all the actors responsible of the technological development, the regulators and the public society as a whole, are all fundamental elements necessary to implement a credible and effective governance for a responsible management of nanotechnology.

To illustrate the commitment of the Italian industry in nanotechnology, representatives of enterprises involved in this field presented a synthetic overview of their activity and during the conclusive round table it was discussed the proposal of AIRI/Nanotec IT to start in Italy a national initiative to promote and support nanotechnology and its applications, analogously to what happens in other countries, as in USA, where since 2001 is active the National Nanotecnology Initiative (NNI) through which are funnelled all federal funds for R&D in nanotechnology. All the partecipants to the round table expressed a favourable opinion about the opportunity and the usefulness to start an initiative of this type.

• The commitment of EU for nanotechnology and their responsible development

• The management of the effects of nanotechnology: the approach in USA and Europe

• The “2nd Nanotec IT Census of Nanotechnology in Italy”

• Nanotechnologies in the Italian industry

• National Initiative for Nanotechnology