Today's ALDE seminar on the "Opportunities and Risks of Nano Technology" has wide implications both for business and society at large. More than 150 observers from politics, science and business signed up to the two hour event at the European Parliament. It embraces presentations from both consumer (BEUC) and business perspectives (BASF, Nanotechnologies Industry Association) and finally from the European Commission which is working on a European policy on nanoscience.

Two ALDE members Cristian Busoi and Jürgen Creutzmann took the timely initiative to organise this seminar:

Cristian BUSOI (PNL, Romania), who is also the ALDE-coordinator on the EP Internal market and Consumer protection Committee, said: "Nanotechnologies have an extraordinary potential for technical progress and for our future, since they could play a key role in improving the quality of our lives. However we also need to assess risks to human health and the environment. These risks should be taken into account in the review of the legislation on nanotechnologies, which should strike the right balance between the safety requirement and the need to enhance the performance of the products we use."

Jürgen CREUTZMANN (FDP, Germany) said: "One thing is clear: nanomaterials are already successfully used in most categories of consumer products, be it in textiles, sunscreens or food. On the other hand, safety of nanomaterials is an absolute priority and should be ensured by thorough assessments. I would not accept a shift of responsibility from manufacturers or importers to market surveillance. All products that enter the internal market must be assessed according to the latest scientific findings. This is the only way to win consumer confidence in nanotechnology and to counter the fear arguments put forward by its critics. In this perspective, a regulation would help, if it gives legal certainty to the industry."

The presentations of the seminar will be available on the ALDE-website http://www.alde.eu/en/details/?no_cache=1&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=22049

For more information, please contact:

Neil Corlett: +32-2-284 20 77 or +32-478-78 22 84

e-mail: neil.corlett@europarl.europa.eu

Axel Heyer: +32-2-284 47 03 or +32-485-10 33 39