Brussels, 01/12/2003 (Agence Europe) - The Italian Presidency convened a Competitiveness Council on 3 December, to be given over to research on stem cells from human embryos. A Council in which everybody seems to be walking on eggshells, given the delicacy of the subject. Trying to undo last week's block- Germany, Austria, Italy and Portugal having pronounced themselves against the European Commission's proposal setting a strict ethical framework for the Community funding of any kind of research on this type of cell- the Italian Presidency is now proposing a compromise based on ideas put forward by Portugal during the lunch on 26 November. Community funding will only be authorised for research on stem cells of cellular lines already in existence when Council adopted the text.
This proposal, which puts together ideas forwarded by Forza Italia MEP Giuseppe Nistico, will block the funding of any project based on new cells cultures based on surplus embryos (which are earmarked for destruction: Ed), as provided for in the Commission's original proposal, which was largely approved by the European Parliament. Given the small number of cell lines available, this wording would greatly favour the few Member States who have any, which would not necessarily be to the liking of all Research Ministers.
As for the Commission, its position is delicate. It is prepared to find a compromise, but it must also take account of votes cast by the European Parliament, in codecision, on the framework programme on research, and, more recently, for the lifting of the moratorium on the funding of research on stem cells from human embryos.