Its a silly question we know, bit one that has been asked a few times in the last week What do the EUs current problems with its Constitution mean for nanotechnologies in Europe? The answer, as one would expect, is not a lot. Nowhere in the mass of legalese and opt outs that make up the TREATY ESTABLISHING A CONSTITUTION FOR EUROPE (the section dealing with research starts on page 115 in the English version) is nanotechnology specifically mentioned, for which we should be grateful.
Meanwhile the Commissioners have also found the time to approve the recent Action Plan on Nanotechnology, a document which makes far better reading and proposes somewhat more workable actions than the constitutional treaty. While we have never been shy to criticise the commission, it is worth noting that the nanotechnologies division has, at least to us, shown none of the arrogance and elitism that has been perceived by the European public as a defining characteristic of the Brussels machine.
Of course the wrangling over the constitution may affect research budgets, with the balance of power shifting between the member states. While the Dutch want EU spending to be capped at 1% of GDP, the parliament is pushing for 1.07% and the British are fighting to hold onto their budget rebate, so expect some furious horse trading, outbreaks of hostility both between member states in exchange for the perceived wrecking of the constitution and whatever arguments happen to go on in both of the European Parliaments (non European readers will be intrigued to know that a spare one is maintained at huge expense in Strasbourg for times when MEPS fancy a switch from moules frites to choucroute garn).
The bottom line is that the rejection of a constitution which was not due to come into force for another two years will have little effect on the day to day running of things. In a worst case scenario, things will continue as normal, and budgetary delays are built into the system in Europe in the same way that they are at most international organisations and governments NASA and ESA regularly have their budgets delayed, and manage to carry on launching rockets and doing research pretty much the same as ever.
Even a longer term delay will have little effect on Framework 7 (the seventh five year science plan) as most of the first year of a new program is taken up with expressions of interest, and educating people about the terrifyingly complex array of instruments that the Commission will use to attract, evaluate and fund proposals.
It is also worth noting that Comission funding only makes up around a third of all European nanotechnology funding, the rest coming from national governments.