These NEST projects will also strive to boost the capacity of electron microscopes, to manipulate atoms with lasers, to create new bio-materials from ionized gases for medical and surgical applications, to detect and study toxic chemicals such as Perfluorinated Hydrocarbons (PFCs), to produce new chemicals and clean fuels, and to develop policies to tackle the obesity epidemics.

Nevertheless, the Union has already put in place legislation on health hazards, such as chemicals, endocrine disrupters, pesticides, air and water pollution, noise, waste, industrial accidents and ionising radiation.

Promoters of irradiation claim that it is the best alternative to the use of chemical fumigation and methyl bromide for the disinfestation of food.

These chemicals have not yet been found in non-irradiated foods and therefore require thorough, long-term investigation in order to assess their impacts on health.

2. Unless otherwise specified under the provisions set out in the Annexes to this Agreement, this Agreement shall not apply to sanitary measures related to food additives, processing aids, flavours, colour additives, sanitary stamps, irradiation (ionisation), contaminants (including pesticides, chemical residues, mycotoxins, natural toxins, physical contaminants and animal drug residues), chemicals originating from the migration of substances from packaging materials; labelling of foodstuffs (including nutritional labelling); feed additives, animal feedingstuffs, medicated ...[+++]feeds and premixes.

As regards point 1 (identification of hazards), extensive data are already available in respect of physical agents (including ionising radiation) and chemical and biological agents.