Animal cloning: Parliament rejects use of animal cloning in food production
Commenting on today's adopted resolution against the use of animal cloning in food production, Green MEP David Hammerstein commented:
"I welcome today's resolution, which clearly rejects the use of animal cloning in food production. This reflects the opinion of Europeans who overwhelmingly oppose introducing such practices in the EU. I believe we should go further and introduce EU legislation to unequivocally outlaw the use of cloned animals in food production or for other commercial purposes. There should also be a moratorium on all imports into the EU of cloned livestock or meat.
Scientific evidence has shown that cloning causes great suffering for animals. The vast majority of animals do not survive the process, and the few that do suffer more health problems and die much earlier than naturally-bred animals.
Cloning would reduce the genetic diversity of livestock in our farms. It would also open the risk of farmers depending on commercially patentedlivestock ."
UK Green MEP Caroline Lucas, member of the European parliament's intergroup on animal welfare, said:
"The prospect of animals being cloned for food is a hugely worrying one, and I'm delighted that the Parliament has voted against it. From an animal welfare perspective, it's clear that this process causes serious suffering. From a legal perspective, European law already states that "breeding procedures that cause or are likely to cause suffering or injury to any of the animals concerned must not be practiced" (Directive 98/58).
The impacts on human health are still unknown. Clearly the only reason to pursue animal cloning is to increase corporate profits."
