European Commission’s definition

The European Commission has published its first definition of nanomaterials on 18 October 2011.

Caution: the definition, at this stage, is a recommendation, inviting Member States, EU agencies and industries to use it “in the adoption and implementation of legislation and policy and research programmes concerning products of nanotechnologies”.

"Nanomaterial: a natural, incidental or manufactured material containing particles, in an unbound state or as an aggregate or as an agglomerate and where, for 50 % or more of the particles in the number size distribution, one or more external dimensions is in the size range 1 nm - 100 nm.

In specific cases and where warranted by concerns for the environment, health, safety or competitiveness the number size distribution threshold of 50 % may be replaced by a threshold between 1 and 50 %”.

The Commission said the definition will be reviewed in 2014 in the light of technical and scientific progress.

Read here the official recommendation of the European Union.

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