Brussels, 30/01/2003 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission states in a press release that it has met with Member States in order to try to speed up progress in the implementation of the Directive 98/44 on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions. Last December, it had launched infringement proceedings against France, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Sweden and Portugal, which have still not transposed the text, although the date limit was 30 July 2002. Aware of the difficulties linked to aspects of the directive concerning the patentability of elements of the human body, the Commission had nonetheless announced its intention to pursue dialogue with these Member States (see EUROPE of 24 December, p.13). During the meeting, the States explained the political and technical obstacles blocking transposition. The Commission, for its part, informed them of the first meeting of experts set up to analyse the economic and legal aspects of patenting human stem cells and genetic sequences (see EUROPE of 12 October, p;16). The group is chaired by Vincenzo Scordamaglia, legal expert and former director of the Council Secretariat. Sven Bostyn, from Maastricht University, is rapporteur on the issue of patentability of sequences or partial sequences of genes isolated from the human body. Geertrui van Overwalle, from Louvain University, is rapporteur on "patentability of human stem cells and cell lines derived from them". The group's report is to be published end 2003, at the same time as the Commission's annual report on implementing the directive.