The European Commission made a proposal in a form of Communication on the Second Regulatory Review on Nanomaterials, which includes the Commission’s plans to improve EU law to ensure the safe use of nanomaterials. In the Communication, the Commission underlines nanomaterials' diverse nature and types. There is an increasing body of information on the hazard properties of nanomaterials, which are difficult to generalize and justify specific risk assessments.

A Communication published by the European Commission highlights nanomaterials' diverse nature and types, ranging from everyday materials that have been used safely for decades (e.g., in tyres or as anticoagulants in food) to highly sophisticated industrial materials and tumour therapies. For this reason, the Commission proposes in the Communication to improve EU law to ensure the safe use of nanomaterials. The recent definition of nanomaterials, reached in October 2011, will be integrated in EU legislation, where appropriate.

The Commission will create a web platform with references to all relevant information sources, including registries on a national or sector level, where they exist. In parallel, the Commission will launch an impact assessment to identify and develop the most adequate means to increase transparency and ensure regulatory oversight, including an in-depth analysis of the data gathering needs for such purpose. This analysis will include those nanomaterials currently falling outside existing notification, registration or authorisation schemes.

The Commission also underlines that REACH is best framework for nanomaterials management but more specific requirements for nanomaterials within the framework have proven necessary. The Commission envisages modifications in some of the REACH Annexes and encourages ECHA to further develop guidance for registrations after 2013.