Brussels, 03/09/2008 (Agence Europe) - It came as no surprise that on Wednesday 3 September, in Brussels, the European Parliament voiced its opposition to animal cloning for food supply purposes. It sees no convincing argument to justify food production based on clones or their offspring and is concerned by the disastrous consequences of cloning on genetic diversity in animal stock and animal welfare.
In a resolution adopted by 622 votes in favour, 32 against, with 25 abstentions, the EP calls on the European Commission “to submit proposals prohibiting for food supply purposes (i) the cloning of animals, (ii) the farming of cloned animals or their offspring, (iii) the placing on the market of meat or dairy products derived from cloned animals or their offspring and (iv) the importing of cloned animals, their offspring, semen and embryos from cloned animals or their offspring, and meat or dairy products derived from cloned animals or their offspring”.
The text refers to the problems of animal health and welfare and the higher mortality rate of cloned animals and their surrogate mothers, revealed recently in several European expert reports, including that of the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) and the Group of Ethics (GEE). MEPs also stress that cloning considerably reduces genetic diversity in stock and therefore increases the risk of entire herds being decimated by disease. MEPs state that the use of such a technique could damage the image of the European agricultural model, based on product quality, respect for the environment and strict animal welfare criteria. Finally, they point out that the 98/58 directive on protecting reared animals bans natural or artificial methods that are likely to cause suffering or damage.
Currently, no products derived from animal cloning have been marketed in Europe or the rest of the world but experts consider that these products could be on the market by 2010. The July 2001 moratorium in the US on the sale of such products was challenged by US health authorities last January. In Europe EFSA remains cautious on the issue, while in the US, the Food and Drug Administration concluded that cloned cow's meat and milk, pork and goat meat are as safe as that from traditional animals.
Androula Vassiliou, the European commissioner for health and food safety replied to an oral question on this theme and explained that the Commission was following scientific developments in this domain closely and was “aware… of the adverse effects” of cloning on animal health and welfare. “The Commission is now evaluating the necessary steps to be taken…and takes ethical considerations fully into account”. According to the rules of international trade, imports of food products from third countries can be suspended if they represent a serious threat to animal or human health. The Commission will examine whether restrictions can be implemented on the basis of studies carried out and EFSA's opinion, declared the commissioner. (L.C./transl.rh)