title: A STEP forward for European environmental mutagenesis research.
abstract: This article introduces a special issue of Mutation Research which contains final synthesis reports of eight multi-national research projects in the STEP (Science and Technology for Environmental Protection) Research Programme of the European Commission. In addition to sketching the scientific, policy and historical background to the research, the contents of the eight reports are summarised and the broader issue of environmental research and its links to chemicals control, risk assessment, and regulation in the European Union is discussed.
authors.affiliation: European Commission, Directorate-General XII--Science Research and Development, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: C V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Nolan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004777:Environment; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D012106:Research; D018570:Risk Assessment