As we move from the 7th Framework Programme (FP7) into Horizon2020, it is an obvious time to reflect back on FP7 and ask ourselves as a community what we have achieved collectively in terms of progress towards understanding and reducing the potential for unforeseen risks from nanotechnologies and nanomaterials. FP7 has invested close to €200M in nanosafety assessment through the 50 projects directly funded via NMP, Life+, Marie Curie, Research Infrastructures and others, and countless other projects also contain elements of nanosafety.

FP7 started in 2007, and while the projects funded in the final rounds of FP7 will continue to run and produce exciting outputs well into 2017 (see Figure 1), given that the programme itself is ended, and that over 70% of the effort has been completed, it is appropriate to take stock of where we were and what FP7 has achieved for the community on this important topic relating to the safety of a key enabling technology that is already touching the lives of most Europeans in many, often unseen, ways.

Read more