EU moves to prohibit cloning
The European Commission has adopted three draft laws on animal cloning and novel food which is claims will “provide legal certainty”.
The commission is banning the use of cloning for farm animals and the import of such animals. It is also prohibiting the marketing of food materials, such as meat and milk from cloned animals.
It said the move was being made to address animal welfare and ethical concerns. Tonio Borg, EU Commissioner in charge of Health, said: “Today’s initiatives on animal cloning respond to animal welfare concerns as well as consumer perceptions on food from animal clones in a realistic and workable way.
“The changes on novel food will create a more efficient system. It will offer EU consumers the benefit of a broad choice of foodstuffs and provides a favourable environment for Europe’s food industry.”
However, the rules will still allow cloning for the purposes of research, conservation of rare breeds and endangered species and the use of animals for medical and pharmaceutical reasons.
The draft legislation will now be considered by the European Parliament and Council, and it is unlikely the legislation will come into force before 2016.
