WRITTEN QUESTION E-0279/04 by Elly Plooij-van Gorsel (ELDR) to the Commission. Embryo and stem-cell research.
Date: 2004-02-05
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU Member State, EU programme, EU research policy, embryo and foetus, genetic engineering, research project, stem cell

3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/349

(2004/C 84 E/0406)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0279/04

by Elly Plooij-van Gorsel (ELDR) to the Commission

(5 February 2004)

Subject: Embryo and stem-cell research

In May 2003, I put to the Commission a written question (E-1494/03 (1)) concerning expressions of
interest in connection with embryo and stem-cell research under the Sixth Framework Programme.

In its answer, the Commission states that of the 2 000 expressions of interest submitted concerning
Priority 1 roughly 80 relate to stem-cell research (animal or human stem-cells).

In connection with Thematic Priority 1, 26 proposals relating to stem-cell research have been received.
Three of those proposals would involve the use of preserved or isolated human embryo stem cells grown
in culture.

The moratorium ran out on 31 December 2003, with the result that the EU can now subsidise stem-cell
research.

In this context, can the Commission answer the following questions:

1. Has the European Commission already approved applications for grants to finance stem-cell research?

2.

If so, how many grants have since been paid out?

3.

From which Member States did these applications come?

(1) OJ C 33 E, 6.2.2004, p. 127.

Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(15 March 2004)

The results of the evaluation of the first call for proposals under the Sixth Research Framework Programme
show there are currently 18 projects which may receive Community funding and which contain at least
one research aspect involving the use of human stem cells. This number must still be regarded as
preliminary and not final since some projects are still at the negotiating stage.

Twelve of
these projects have been allocated to the thematic priority ‘Life sciences, genomics and
biotechnology for health’ and six to the priority ‘Nanotechnologies and nano-sciences, knowledge-based
multifunctional materials and new production processes and devices’ (tissue engineering projects).

With regard to research projects which involve human embryo stem cells, there are only two under the
priority ‘Life sciences, genomics and biotechnology for health’. In both cases, researchers wish to use lines
of human embryo stem cells which were recorded in the register of the human embryo stem cells of the
US National Institutes of Health (1) and were derived before 9 August 2001. The teams which wish to use
these lines are based in Germany and Italy in the case of one project, and in Finland in the case of the
other. These data cannot in any way be regarded as final since the negotiation of these two projects has
not yet been completed and the Programme Committee set up pursuant to Article 6.3 of the Specific
Programme Integrating and Strengthening the European Research Area has not yet agreed to give them
funding.

(1) http://stemcells.nih.gov/registry/index.asp