EU fails to resolve stem cell research issue

TÁNAISTE Mary Harney last night said it would be impossible for Ireland to resolve the issue of guidelines for stem cell research during the country’s presidency of the EU next year.

European Union ministers yesterday failed to agree on whether to spend EU money on embryonic stem cell research during a last-ditch attempt to resolve the issue before a moratorium expires on December 31 A lack of agreed guidelines means the European Commission and EU governments will have to vet each funding proposal on a case-by-case basis after the moratorium ends Italian Research Minister Letizia Moratti, who chaired the meeting, failed to bridge deep divisions among the ministers. She acknowledged a proposed compromise did not get “a sufficient degree of support” and decided to call an end to the meeting. Germany, Austria and Italy reiterated their strong opposition to spending EU money on embryonic research. The three had enough votes to block the proposal.

As no decision was met it means the issue may have to be decided during the Irish presidency beginning on January 1. Ireland is in favour of the introduction of guidelines. Officials said no further talks were foreseen to try and get a deal this year.

Ms Harney described the situation as very unsatisfactory and acknowledged that Ireland is in a legal limbo over the issue.

“This kind of research will not receive public funding in Ireland but private research funded by the EU is left open in the absence of guidelines,” she said.

The only clear guidance on embryo research in Ireland is the Medical Ethics Guide that forbids the medical profession making human embryos available to anyone. But it does not stop them being imported.

A spokesperson for the commission said: “If you do not have legislation on this then in theory Irish researchers might apply for funding for this kind of project and they might get funding unless there is legislation in Ireland that forbids it.”

About 1 billion of the EU’s 17.5 billion research budget for the next three years has been earmarked for stem cell research, including on cells taken from five to seven-day-old human embryos.

Following concern from a number of countries the European Commission agreed to draw up guidelines on research. It included not funding projects in countries where this research was illegal; using only embryos created for IV fertility treatment, and created before July 2002.

However, a number of countries, including Portugal, wanted more stringent conditions. Austria did not want any EU money going to such research and Sweden and Britain feared guidelines would become too restrictive.

The research budget has already been voted through and under EU legislation the funds must be given out to projects that qualify.

The commission last year agreed to postpone funding stem cell research for a year so guidelines could be drawn up and agreed by the member states’ ministers.

The questions of ethics guidelines could arise under the Irish presidency but Ms Harney said that since they failed to find a compromise solution over the past 18 months she could not see one being found in the future.