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Regulatory NewsMember NewsNIA NewsIndustry NewsAdvancing Sound Regulation & Standards
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NIA News

NIA takes part in ECHA's first meeting on animal-testing alternatives

NIA's Director of Regulatory Affairs sat in on the inaugural meeting of ECHA's Collaborative Platform of Alternatives to Animal Testing (CP-AAT), a new group backing the European Commission's push to phase out animal testing in chemical safety assessments. The platform draws in EU Member States, the Commission, EU agencies, industry, academia and public-private partnerships, all working to speed up regulatory acceptance of non-animal methods. Members used the first session to map existing…

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All MembersAdvancing Sound Regulation & Standards
Regulatory News

Germany pushes for stronger nano-specific REACH requirements

Five years after nano-specific information requirements entered into force under REACH, Germany has told the European Commission they need reinforcement. The call follows a national review by German competent authorities, feeding into the OECD's compilation of country activities on manufactured nanomaterials. While the original requirements were a useful first step, Germany's review found real gaps: missing test methods for nano-specific endpoints, few updates to existing dossiers, limited…

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All MembersAdvancing Sound Regulation & Standards
Regulatory News

European Commission updates REACH restrictions roadmap

The European Commission has published a refreshed version of its REACH Restrictions Roadmap, updating stakeholders on the status of hazardous substance restrictions since the roadmap launched in 2022. Eleven restrictions covering hundreds of substances have now been adopted, with six more proposals nearing completion, including work on PFAS, hexavalent chromium, octocrylene and other persistent or endocrine-disrupting chemicals. The revision adds no new nanomaterial-specific restrictions, but…

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Corporate Members OnlyAdvancing Sound Regulation & Standards
Regulatory News

CEN and ISO Advance Nanotechnology Standards Updates

Under CEN/TC 352 Nanotechnologies the following documents have been published: CEN/CENELEC report from 2025 published (18.06.2026). The report reviews the activities achieved during the past year and showcases advances in standardization for emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, cyber resilience and quantum technologies, and the implementation of the CEN and CENELEC Strategy 2030. ANNUAL REPORT 2025. The CEN and CENELEC Presidential Committee Annual Plenary Meetings, held in…

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Corporate Members OnlyAdvancing Sound Regulation & Standards
NIA News

NIA joins ECHA's new platform on alternatives to animal testing

NIA's Director of Regulatory Affairs attended the inaugural meeting of ECHA's newly formed Collaborative Platform of Alternatives to Animal Testing (CP-AAT), a group set up to support the European Commission's roadmap for phasing out animal testing in chemical safety assessments. The platform brings together EU Member States, the European Commission, EU agencies, industry, academia and public-private partnerships to speed up regulatory acceptance of non-animal methods. What the group agreed on…

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Corporate Members OnlyAdvancing Sound Regulation & Standards
NIA News

NIA Launches New Committee to Tackle Carbon Nanotube Regulation and Safety

March saw the first meeting of NIA's new Special Purpose Committee on Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs), chaired by NIA Board Member Ishrat Chaudhuri of Cabot Corporation. The committee brings together NIA members to develop a coordinated industry voice on CNT-related regulatory developments, while also identifying gaps in the science and methodology underpinning CNT safety assessment. At its inaugural meeting, the group worked through a range of issues relevant to CNT producers and agreed to draw up a…

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All MembersAdvancing Sound Regulation & Standards
Regulatory News

ECHA Endocrine Disruptor Expert Group Meets 22–24 April

ECHA's Endocrine Disruptor Expert Group holds its 34th meeting from 22 to 24 April 2026, focusing on the scientific and regulatory implementation of endocrine disruptor hazard identification under EU chemicals law, including the CLP Regulation. The outcomes are directly relevant to companies placing nano-enabled formulations, advanced materials and chemical-based technologies on the EU market — particularly where products involve functional additives, coatings, dispersants or other active…

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Regulatory News

What Happens When You Eat Nanoplastics? EUON Publishes New Health Assessment

The EU Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) published a new NanOpinion article on 14 April examining the fate of nanoplastics once ingested through food or drinking water. Simulated gastrointestinal studies suggest that stomach acidity, salts and digestive enzymes may cause nanoplastics to agglomerate, potentially limiting their absorption through the digestive tract. The researchers caution, however, that significant uncertainties around long-term human health effects remain and that further…

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All MembersAdvancing Sound Regulation & Standards
Regulatory News

New EU “One Substance, One Assessment” rules now in force

The EU’s OSOA legislative framework entered into force on 1 January 2026, with the goal of making chemical assessments more efficient, consistent and transparent across EU legislation. The package strengthens data sharing and coordination between authorities, helping to streamline risk assessment for chemicals used in areas such as food, toys, pesticides and biocides. ​

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All MembersAdvancing Sound Regulation & Standards
Regulatory News

EFSA moves forward on NAMs for nanomaterials and nanoparticles

European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)’s methodology workstream highlights efforts to develop recommendations on using New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) for the risk assessment of nanomaterials and nanoparticles in food and feed. This work aims to support implementation of NAMs in EFSA evaluations while reducing animal testing through more mechanistic, non-animal approaches in line with evolving EU policy objectives.

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All MembersAdvancing Sound Regulation & Standards
Regulatory News

Regulatory update from Australia: AICIS opens consultation

Australia’s industrial chemicals regulator (AICIS) is consulting on revisions to the Categorisation Guidelines in 2026, with proposed changes and clarifications affecting how introducers determine regulatory categories and obligations. These updates are relevant for companies placing industrial chemicals on the Australian market, including advanced and nanoscale forms where applicable.

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All MembersAdvancing Sound Regulation & Standards
Regulatory News

New OECD guidance strengthens nanomaterial safety testing

The OECD - OCDE Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials (WPMN), in collaboration with the EU Joint Research Centre (JRC), has released the 2025 edition of its guidance on sample preparation and dosimetry for safety testing of manufactured nanomaterials. The updated document refines international approaches to preparing and dosing nanomaterials in testing, supporting more reliable and regulatory-relevant data for risk assessment.

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All MembersAdvancing Sound Regulation & Standards
Regulatory News

ECHA CHEM becomes the single access point for EU chemicals data

European Chemicals Agency has confirmed that REACH registration data and the Classification and Labelling (C&L) Inventory are now available exclusively via the ECHA CHEM database, following the phase-out of legacy dissemination platforms. ECHA CHEM now acts as the single entry point for publicly accessible EU regulatory data on chemicals, aiming to improve consistency, usability and cross-regulatory access to information, and stakeholders are encouraged to update their internal workflows…

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Regulatory News

Standardisation News — ISO/TC 229

ISO/DTS 4966 — Nanotechnologies: Silica nanomaterials — Specification of characteristics and measurement methods for nanoporous silica microparticles applied in liquid chromatography. Status: Voting open, deadline 1 May 2026 ISO/TS 11251:2019 (Ed. 2) — Nanotechnologies: Characterisation of volatile components in single-wall carbon nanotube samples using evolved gas analysis/GC-MS. Status: Closed, under review ISO/TS 23367-1:2022 — Nanotechnologies: Performance characteristics of nanosensors for…

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Advancing Sound Regulation & Standards
Regulatory News

Canada Releases Nanomaterial Risk Assessment Framework Under CEPA

Environment and Climate Change Canada and Health Canada have jointly published a new Framework for the Risk Assessment of Manufactured Nanomaterials under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA). The document clarifies how nano-specific characteristics will be factored into regulatory evaluations, confirming that while traditional chemical risk assessment principles remain applicable, they must be supplemented with nano-specific data and characterisation methods. The framework…

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All MembersAdvancing Sound Regulation & Standards
Regulatory News

European Commission Adopts Revised SSbD Framework

The European Commission has formally adopted its recommendation on the revised Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) assessment framework for chemicals and materials. The recommendation calls on industry and researchers to engage with the framework's implementation, with the aim of accelerating a broader shift toward sustainable practices.

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NIA News

NIA Special Purpose Committee on Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs)

As many of you will be aware, Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) and other fibre-like materials are the subject of growing scrutiny — from regulatory developments and labelling requirements to NGO concerns and end-user hesitancy. To help Members navigate these challenges, the NIA has established a Special Purpose Committee (SPC) on Carbon Nanotubes. The inaugural meeting is scheduled for Friday, 20 March at 15:30 CET / 10:30 EDT / 23:30 JST. Members wishing to join the SPC are invited to self-nominate by…

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All MembersAdvancing Sound Regulation & Standards
NIA News

NIA at the 2nd OECD Webinar on Bridging Innovation and Safety

The NIA’s Director of Regulatory Affairs presented the recently published OECD Report on Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD): Tools, Integrative Systems and Platforms for Nanomaterials and Nano-Enabled Products, released in December 2025. The NIA contributed actively to the review of tools, methodologies, and platforms supporting SSbD implementation in the nanotechnology sector. The presentation included a case study illustrating the application of one such tool to the development of an…

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Corporate Members OnlyAdvancing Sound Regulation & Standards
NIA News

NIA attends OECD Chemicals and Biotechnology Committee

The Nanotechnology Industries Association (NIA), acting as Vice-Chair of BIAC to the OECD Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials, participated in the February 2026 meeting of the OECD Chemicals and Biotechnology Committee (CBC).Discussions across the Committee and its subgroups reflected a continuing strategic shift toward more predictive, data-driven, and non-animal approaches to chemical safety assessment, supported by enhanced digital infrastructure and global harmonisation. The aim of this evolving work programme is to modernise testing frameworks while addressing practical challenges in regulatory implementation.Delegations shared national updates on regulatory developments, including strengthened hazard classification schemes, new information requirements, and targeted measures for substances of concern such as PFAS. Significant progress was also noted in integrating computational tools and New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) into OECD Test Guidelines—particularly through the increasing use of QSAR models and defined approaches that reduce reliance on animal testing.📄 NIA Corporate Members have access to the dedicated report below.

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All MembersAdvancing Sound Regulation & Standards
NIA News

NIA Submits Feedback to EU Consultation on Proposed REACH Restrictions for CMR Substances

The NIA has submitted comments to the European Commission’s consultation on potential new REACH restrictions for substances classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic, or reprotoxic (CMR), including certain multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). While supporting the existing harmonised CLP classification for defined fibre-like MWCNTs, the NIA emphasised that REACH restrictions are risk management tools and must therefore reflect realistic exposure scenarios. Inhalation risk for fibrous materials…

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NIA News

NIA Regulatory Committee in 2026

The NIA Regulatory Committee has already outlined several priority topics for this year’s discussions. These include: Reviewing developments under REACH once the new proposals are announced. Exploring how nanomaterials fit within the One Substance, One Assessment framework. Examining the role of nanomaterials in UK REACH. Following updates to the Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) framework. If Members have additional topics they would like the Regulatory Committee to address, please contact…

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NIA News

NIA Submits Feedback to the European Commission on the Advanced Materials Act

The Nanotechnology Industries Association (NIA) has submitted its contribution to the European Commission’s Call for Evidence for the Advanced Materials Act. We have highlighted the important role that nanomaterials still plays in Europe’s advanced materials strategy and used nanomaterials as an example of the long timeframes faced by materials research and production. The NIA has made a wide range of recommendations as to the actions required to support the strengthening of Europe’s advanced…

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All MembersAdvancing Sound Regulation & Standards
NIA News

NIA Brings Industry Perspective to SSbD25 Discussions in Zurich

NIA’s Director of Regulatory Affairs, Blanca Suárez-Meriño, took part in the final panel discussion at the SSbD25 Conference in Zurich, sharing the industry’s perspective on Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD). The panel also featured representatives from the European Commission, Cefic, EMERGE, and IVL. Discussions focused on how SSbD principles can be integrated into early-stage innovation — marking a shift in mindset from add-on practices to embedded approaches — and on the importance of…

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All MembersAdvancing Sound Regulation & Standards
Regulatory News

ECHA launches study on nanomaterials in flame‑retardant applications

ECHA has commissioned a study through the EU Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) to map how nanomaterials are used in flame‑retardant systems across sectors including construction, electronics, and textiles. The study will assess their prevalence in the EU market and identify knowledge gaps around release potential, transformation, and end‑of‑life behaviour.

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