Traductor

03 November 2010

Temporary suspension of animal cloning for food production


Based on a report, published on 19 October, the European Commission has announced that it will propose a temporary suspension of animal cloning for food production in the EU. The Commission also plans to suspend temporarily the use of cloned farm animals and the marketing of food from clones. All temporary measures will be reviewed after five years.
Cloning is the creation of an organism that is a genetic copy of another, meaning that the two organisms share exactly the same DNA.
The debate about cloning for food purposes started a few years ago when cloned embryos were imported into the EU. According to the current EU Regulation, food produced from clones is considered "novel food" as it is not produced via traditional breeding techniques, and therefore falls under the scope of the Regulation on Novel foods, which is now under discussion at EU level.
The adopted communication is a response to calls from the European Parliament and Member States to launch a specific EU policy on this sensitive issue. The communication presents an assessment of cloning technology in relation to food production and examines the relevant aspects of cloning in light of the existing legislative framework. It acknowledges the challenges posed by animal welfare issues and takes into consideration the ethical facet of cloning. It also notes that there is no scientific evidence confirming food safety concerns regarding foods obtained from cloned animals or their offspring.
In the Commission's view, a selective mixture of measures, accompanied by a review clause after five years, is the best way forward to address the issue. These measures will sufficiently address animal welfare concerns without introducing unnecessary and unjustifiable restrictions. The proposal will not suspend cloning for uses other than food, such as research, conservation of endangered species or use of animals for the production of pharmaceuticals.


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