WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3708/98 by Hiltrud BREYER Human stem cells and tissue engineering
C 325/24 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 12. 11. 1999 (1999/C 325/028) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3708/98 by Hiltrud Breyer (V) to the Commission (11 December 1998) Subject: Human stem cells and tissue engineering Recent reports state that US and British research institutions are involved in the cloning and redesign of ‘master’ stem cells obtained from human embryos in order to produce body components. Can the Commission please confirm that no EU funds are being used, either directly or indirectly, in such 1. research? 2. Will the Commission also please indicate in which EU Member States such research is permitted and what legal and ethical controls exist? Answer given by Mrs Cresson on behalf of the Commission (4 February 1999) The Community is not funding any research project on the use of embryonic stem cells to produce body 1. parts under the current framework programme. Research involving the use of embryonic stem cells is part of the wider issue of human embryo research, 2. which is regulated differently in the individual Member States. Information on the legal situation regarding human embryo research in Member States, as known to the Commission from available sources, is being sent direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliament’s Secretariat. The Commission shares Parliament’s reservations concerning research on human embryos, which raises some very complex issues. Rapid advances are being made in knowledge and technologies, and the interests of couples and the sick must be taken into account. However, there are obviously certain limits that should not be crossed. (1999/C 325/029) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3770/98 by Susan Waddington (PSE) to the Commission (11 December 1998) Subject: Biodiversity 4 Honey Bees Bee breeders in the United Kingdom are increasingly concerned about the importation of bees into the UK from other Member States and countries around the world. They are concerned that a combination of hybridisation and infection from the varroa and Kashmir viruses will lead to the extinction of the indigenous Apis Mellifera Mellifera honey bee population. Breeders have therefore called for imports to be banned, on the grounds that such action would be justified under the Habitats Directive and the International Convention on Biological Diversity. The UK Government argues, however, that any such ban would contravene existing EC law, namely Directive 92/65/EC (1) concerning the free trade in bees. Does the Commission agree with the UK Government that Directive 92/65/EC takes precedence in this case and that any ban designed to protect the indigenous sub-species would be illegal? Is the Commission aware of any other similar cases or legal challenges in other Member States? (1) OJ L 268, 14. 9. 1992, p. 54