Brussels, 17/07/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 16 July, the European Commission sent a reasoned opinion to Lithuania (second stage of the procedure), calling upon the country to transpose into its national law the European provisions on quality and safety applicable to reproductive cells. Currently, the Lithuanian legislation opposing the Union directives does not apply to medical procedures involving the use of reproductive cells. However, in Lithuania, such procedures are available to couples.
European legislation lays down quality and safety requirements only in respect of human tissue and cells. It does not determine the possible uses of this tissue or these cells; this is a matter for the competence of the national authorities. But once a member state authorises the use of certain tissue or cells, as is the case in Lithuania, for assisted conception for couples, the legislation on this must comply with the quality and safety standards laid down by the EU. Lithuania now has two months to notify the Commission of the measures it has taken to remedy this situation. If it fails to do so, the Commission may decide to bring this state before the Court of Justice of the EU. (Isabelle Lamberty)