EU ministers to decide on stem cell research funding
European Union ministers were to decide today whether to continue to use EU funds to finance human embryonic stem cell research under current rules, less than a week after President George Bush vetoed US legislation that would have increased federal spending on such research.
A group of countries led by Germany and Poland have lobbied hard to outlaw the use of EU money for human embryonic stem cell research or to substantially limit such funding, which is included in the EU’s proposed €51bn research budget for 2007-2013.
The European Parliament last month approved the use of EU money to finance human stem cell research provided the funds are not used for research into human cloning for reproductive purposes, modification of genetic heritage of human beings and experiments creating human embryos solely for the purpose of research.
Under the EU assembly’s proposal, any application for funds must include details of the licensing and control measures taken by authorities in the particular member nation.
