COST Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Advisory Group

Officials (CSO) approved the terms of reference for the need for horizontal co-ordination and an interdisciplinary approach for the science of biomaterials COST Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Advisory Group (NanoSTAG) for a period of three years "to provide co-ordination of COST interests in interdisciplinary nanoscience". Almost all COST member states strengthened significantly its support for national research activities in this emerging multidisciplinary field – resulting in even more COST Actions related to nanoscience and nanotechnology. The European Science Foundation (ESF), very active in this field since 2000 recently approved a Programme on Nanotribology and started a EUROCORES Programme on Self-Organised Nano-Structures. The European Community will provide increased funding of multinational research and networking through the multi-annual 6th Framework Programme of the European Commission e.g. in the Thematic Priority Area 3 “Nanotechnology and nanoscience, knowledge-based multifunctional materials and new production processes and devices”. The USA and Japan also intensified its research efforts- in the end all in order to create new products based on nanoscience and nanotechnology innovations. This report reviews the NanoSTAG activities in the past three years, reflects the new situation, attributing nanoscience and nanotechnology research an even increased importance, and recommends to the CSO to take the appropriate measures to th