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Helsinki, 12 September 2006

Nanotechnology researchers and experimenters focus on materials at the level of individual atoms and molecules measuring 1 to 100 billionths of a metre. Nanotechnologies are believed to be of great importance in the future in several fields, such as medicine, electronics and in the environmental field. Nanotechnologies will be a promising new branch of technology if the outcomes of basic research can be turned into innovations. It is not only question of com-petitiveness and industry but also of creating such products that affect life in a favourable way.

The EU conference to be arranged in Otaniemi Safety for Success is the fourth conference of its kind and continuation to the series of EU conferences dealing with nanotechnologies. The aim of the conference is to draw up concrete recommendations for measures to ensure a safe and profitable use of nanotechnologies.

For the first time nanotechnologies are discussed on a such a wide front as at this meeting, with participants from the EU's public sector, science, industry and civil society. In the EU's Strategy and Action Plan, nanosciences are raised as promising possibilities, when used in a safe and responsible way. There will be approximately 180 participants in the meeting.