SPUC condemns EU decision to fund destructive embryo research

Brussels, 9 July 2003 - The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) has condemned today's decision by the European Commission allowing European Union funding of destructive stem cell research using so-called "spare embryos".

SPUC political spokesman Anthony Ozimic commented: "The European Commission's decision undermines the freedom of nations to defend the right to life, in particular the right to life of newly-conceived embryonic children, the smallest and most vulnerable members of the human race. Destructive research on human embryos is banned in a number of EU member states including Ireland, where such research is contrary to the Constitution's protection of unborn children from conception onwards. This means that taxpayers in those member-states will be forced to pay the EU to undermine their own laws and fund unethical research in neighbouring countries."

"The Commission claims that its decision "recognises the principle of freedom of research which is enshrined in the European Charter of Fundamental Rights". We call on EU member-states to defend their sovereignty to protect the right to life from such liberal interpretations of the Charter", concluded Mr. Ozimic.