WRITTEN QUESTION P-0438/02 by Peter Liese (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Embryo stem cell research.
Date: 2002-02-12
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: bio-ethics, embryo and foetus, research and development, research project

C 172 E/198

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.7.2002

(2002/C 172 E/210)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0438/02

by Peter Liese (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(12 February 2002)

Subject: Embryo stem cell research

The AP news agency quoted Philippe Busquin, the Member of the Commission responsible for research, on
31 January in a reaction to the German Bundestag’s vote on the use of human embryo stem cells in
research as saying that:

German researchers are now in a position to participate fully in EU-financed research projects
investigating the use of embryo stem cells in curing diseases such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s or
heart defects.

The bill headed ‘No destructive embryo research 3 prohibit imports of human embryo stem cells in
principle 3 permit only under strict conditions’, which the Bundestag adopted by a majority, stipulates
that:

a law shall be adopted to combat the destruction of further embryos for the purposes of extracting
human embryo stem cells. The importation of human embryo stem cells is to be restricted to existing
stem cell lines established by a specified cut-off date. The setting of such a date ensures that, for the
purposes of importing human embryo stem cells into Germany, the killing of further embryos to
extract stem cells is prevented.

Commissioner Busquin’s words represent a fine-tuning of the Commission’s position. In its modified
proposal on the 6th Framework Programme for research of 22 November 2001 and its statement to the
Research Council on 5 December 2001, the Commission merely stated the view that the production of
embryos for research purposes, including nuclear transfer, was excluded. On the issue of embryo stem cell
research, it was not specified whether any embryo stem cell line can be used, or only those produced by a
cut-off date. What cut-off date does the Commission consider appropriate? How does it propose to verify
that the cut-off date arrangements are adhered to in practice?

Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(11 March 2002)

The Associated Press quote of the Member of the Commission responsible for Research welcoming the
vote of the German Bundestag is correct. His words do not alter the Commission’s position with respect to
the ethical conditions for the Sixth Framework Programme of Research and Technological Development, as
mentioned in the Commission Statement to the Minutes of the Research Council of 10 December 2001.

The fixing of a particular cut-off date, as well as other conditions envisaged by the German Bundestag, are
national decisions that researchers in Germany will have to respect when they participate in Community-
funded research projects. The proposed Specific Programmes for the Sixth Framework Programme for
Research and Technological Development (2002-2006) will require local ethical committees to give their
approval to projects raising ethical questions prior to their start.

(2002/C 172 E/211)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0459/02

by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(22 February 2002)

Subject: Radio and television broadcasting councils in the EU countries

For several years the National Radio and Television Broadcasting Council (EPS) has been operating in
Greece and is supposed to control the quality of radio and television programmes that are broadcast and
ensure that they comply with the code of conduct. However, it is widely believed in Greece that this
Council fails to take decisive action, is spineless and takes no initiatives, and members of this council have