Opinions on the legitimacy of experiments using human
embryos are divided among members of the European Union according
to the different ethical, philosophical and religious traditions
in which they are rooted. EU members states have taken very different
positions on the regulation of human embryonic stem cell research.
As of July 2003, their positions were (see
Table 1).
| Table 1. Regulations in European
Member States Regarding Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research |
| Policy |
EU Member States |
No specific legislation regarding human embryo
research
|
Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal |
| Allowing for the creation of human embryos for
stem cell procurement by law |
Belgium, United Kingdom |
| Prohibition of the procurement of embryonic stem
cells from human embryos |
Austria, Spain, France, Ireland |
| Prohibition of the procurement of embryonic stem
cells from human embryos but allowing by law for the importation
of human embryonic stem cell lines |
Germany |
| Allowing for the procurement of human embryonic
stem cells from supernumerary embryos by law |
Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Netherlands,
Sweden, United Kingdom |
| Prohibition of the creation of human embryos for
research purposes and for the procurement of stem cells by law
or by ratification of the Convention of the Council of Europe
on Human Rights and Biomedicine signed in Oviedo on April 4,
1997 |
Austria, D enmark, Germany, Spain, Finland, France,
Greece, Ireland, Netherlands, Portugal |
