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5 Societal Implications
5.1 Introduction
Traditionally, the EU was not allowed to fund security research, but national and EU
politicians are rapidly developing the Common Foreign and Security Policy and European
Security and Defence Policy. At the end of FP6, some security research projects were
already funded under the Preparatory Action for Security Research (PASR) and under
FP7, a total budget of €1400 Million is reserved for security research (€86.9 Million in the
first call in 2007). This budget can be increased due to joint calls involving the security
programme and another programme. In 2007, there is a joint call of the ICT and Security
programmes. For 2008, a proposed joint call of the Security and Nanotechnology
programmes is being discussed. These figures give an indication of the considerable
importance and novelty of the technology developments and potential societal impacts
being discussed in the present report.
This chapter discusses four questions with regards to the societal implications of
nanotechnology based security technologies:
1) What is the existing regulatory and ethical framework that is relevant to
nanotechnology based security technologies?
2) What impacts on ethics and human rights are expected from new nanotechnology
based security technologies?
3) What is known about European public opinion of nanotechnology and of justice,
freedom and security policies?
4) What are the key issues for further research in social sciences and humanities,
public debate and political decision–making, based on the analysis in this chapter?
5.2 Regulatory and ethical framework
In this section, the central question is: “What is the existing regulatory and ethical
framework that is relevant to nanotechnology based security technologies?” A number of
European and International declarations, regulations and guidelines are introduced, and
their relevance to nanotechnology based security technologies is assessed. The section
ends with conclusions summarising the main established legal and ethical requirements
which impose boundaries on the development of nanotechnology based security
technologies. Different types of technologies and applications are regulated differently.
5.2.1 EU regulatory and ethical framework
The existing regulatory and ethical framework relevant to nanotechnology based security
technologies at EU level is laid down in a number of declarations, legislative documents
and ethical codes. The “Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union” (EU,
2000) includes several values which are affected by security applications of
nanotechnology. These are: human dignity, right to integrity of the person, prohibition of
… degrading or inhuman treatment, right to liberty and security, respect for private and
family life, protection of personal data, freedom of the arts and sciences, equality and
non-discrimination, environmental and consumer protection. The Charter explicitly
prohibits any abuse of these fundamental rights which infringes on the rights of others.
Human dignity is not defined in the Charter, which simply states that it is inviolable and
must be respected and protected.
J-P Wils (2006) defines Human Dignity as a key ethical concept, including a descriptive
part delineating what is a Human being, and a prescriptive part, laying down rules for
treating a human being. The concept has a long history and was already discussed by
Cicero in ancient Rome, as well as numerous classical and Catholic/Christian authors.
Immanuel Kant made human dignity a central ethical concept. He defined it in his book
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