MEPs demand EU funding ban on stem cell research

Centre-right and Green MEPs are demanding strong assurances from Brussels that human cloning and embryo research will not receive EU funding.

The new five year deal, under the EU's new seventh research framework programme is set to be agreed by the European Commission on April 6.

MEPs argue that the programme contains no clear rules on research with human embryos and human embryonic stem cells, research which is banned by many EU member states, including Germany, Austria and Italy.

The previous sixth framework programme was mired in controversy over the issue.

The demand for a funding ban follows a March 10 European Parliament resolution where MEPs overwhelmingly voted for a ban on trade with human egg cells and embryos.

The resolution was triggered by reports in the German and British media that a clinic in Romania had been supplying ‘mail order eggs’ to British fertility clinics.

German centre right MEP Peter Liese said during a briefing to journalists on Thursday that there was clear evidence of ‘under the table payments’ being paid to Romanian women who ‘donated’ eggs.

"There are more egg donors in Romania than in the whole of the UK,” said Liese.

“Egg cell donation is very dangerous, illegal in many member states and the commission should not fund treatments that are so controversial."

“They find poor women in Romania and pay them the equivalent of a month’s salary under the table,” said Cypriot MEP Adamos Adamou.

German Green MEP Hiltrud Breyer said she expected Brussels chiefs to follow the parliament’s lead.

“A clear commitment is expected from the European commission on April 6 that embryonic stem cell research will not be funded by EU money,” said Breyer.

“Parliament’s resolution was not legally binding, but we like to think it is politically binding.  We expect the European commission to follow this line.”

And fellow German MEP Maria Martens added that she didn’t want to see German taxpayers’ money being used to fund research that is illegal in Germany.

“The argument is beyond ethics, there is not enough cash to do what we want to do, how can we consider financing research that is forbidden by law in a number of member states?,” said Martens.

Liese said that he had received assurances from EU research chief, Janez Potocnik, and Commission President José Manuel Barroso that they would take the parliament’s concerns seriously.

“I am confident that the commission will follow this line,” said Liese.

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