Progress: Procedure completed
Legal Basis:
RoP 132-p2Subjects
Events
The European Parliament adopted a resolution on patents for biotechnological inventions and expressed its s upport for biotechnology as a future technology. An appropriate political framework is important to support this technology, also taking account of ethical, environmental and health aspects. The patenting of biotechnological inventions in accordance with common rules throughout Europe is an important precondition for the provision in Europe of appropriate support for this future technology.
Parliament stated that it supported further stem-cell research and other alternatives to promote human health. It did, however, underline its fundamental position regarding the application of biotechnology to human beings, especially the rejection of interventions in the human germ line, the rejection of cloning of the human being in all phases of its development and the rejection of research on human embryos, which destroys the embryo. Directive 98/44/EC provides the framework for this in most cases, but it still leaves important questions open, such as the patenting of human DNA. Parliament called on the European Patent Office and the Member States to grant patents on human DNA only in connection with a concrete application and for the scope of the patent to be limited to this concrete application so that other users can use and patent the same DNA sequence for other applications (purpose-bound protection). The Commission must examine whether this interpretation of the Directive can be achieved by means of a recommendation to the Member States or whether it requires an amendment to the Directive.
Parliament went on to recall that the European Patent Office granted a patent on 2 February 2005 (EP1257168) that includes a method of selection of human germ cells and of the germ cells themselves. Opposition has been made to this decision, so that the legal situation is still unclear. Parliament pointed out that germ cells are not patentable as part of the human body and certainly not an invention, and that patent EP1257168 therefore constitutes an infringement of the Directive. It asked the Commission to file a notice of opposition to patent EP1257168 without delay. It called on the European Patent Office, the Commission and the competent authorities in the Member States to work together with Parliament to confirm that all kinds of human cloning are excluded from patenting under the Directive.
Parliament insisted that the creation of human embryonic stem cells implies the destruction of human embryos and that therefore the patenting of procedures involving human embryonic stem cells or cells that are grown from human embryonic stem cells is a violation of Article 6(2(c) of the Directive. The European Patent Office is asked to set up a further body which, because of the sensitivity of the issue, checks patents that are sensitive from an ethical point of view before they are granted .
The European Parliament adopted a resolution on patents for biotechnological inventions and expressed its s upport for biotechnology as a future technology. An appropriate political framework is important to support this technology, also taking account of ethical, environmental and health aspects. The patenting of biotechnological inventions in accordance with common rules throughout Europe is an important precondition for the provision in Europe of appropriate support for this future technology.
Parliament stated that it supported further stem-cell research and other alternatives to promote human health. It did, however, underline its fundamental position regarding the application of biotechnology to human beings, especially the rejection of interventions in the human germ line, the rejection of cloning of the human being in all phases of its development and the rejection of research on human embryos, which destroys the embryo. Directive 98/44/EC provides the framework for this in most cases, but it still leaves important questions open, such as the patenting of human DNA. Parliament called on the European Patent Office and the Member States to grant patents on human DNA only in connection with a concrete application and for the scope of the patent to be limited to this concrete application so that other users can use and patent the same DNA sequence for other applications (purpose-bound protection). The Commission must examine whether this interpretation of the Directive can be achieved by means of a recommendation to the Member States or whether it requires an amendment to the Directive.
Parliament went on to recall that the European Patent Office granted a patent on 2 February 2005 (EP1257168) that includes a method of selection of human germ cells and of the germ cells themselves. Opposition has been made to this decision, so that the legal situation is still unclear. Parliament pointed out that germ cells are not patentable as part of the human body and certainly not an invention, and that patent EP1257168 therefore constitutes an infringement of the Directive. It asked the Commission to file a notice of opposition to patent EP1257168 without delay. It called on the European Patent Office, the Commission and the competent authorities in the Member States to work together with Parliament to confirm that all kinds of human cloning are excluded from patenting under the Directive.
Parliament insisted that the creation of human embryonic stem cells implies the destruction of human embryos and that therefore the patenting of procedures involving human embryonic stem cells or cells that are grown from human embryonic stem cells is a violation of Article 6(2(c) of the Directive. The European Patent Office is asked to set up a further body which, because of the sensitivity of the issue, checks patents that are sensitive from an ethical point of view before they are granted .
Documents
- Text adopted by Parliament, topical subjects: T6-0407/2005
- Text adopted by Parliament, topical subjects: OJ C 272 09.11.2006, p. 0274-0440 E
- Results of vote in Parliament: Results of vote in Parliament
- Decision by Parliament: T6-0407/2005
- Motion for a resolution: B6-0551/2005
- Motion for a resolution: B6-0552/2005
- Motion for a resolution: B6-0553/2005
- Motion for a resolution: B6-0554/2005
- Motion for a resolution: B6-0555/2005
- Motion for a resolution: B6-0556/2005
- Motion for a resolution: B6-0557/2005
- Joint motion for resolution: RC-B6-0551/2005
- Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
- Motion for a resolution: B6-0551/2005
- Motion for a resolution: B6-0552/2005
- Motion for a resolution: B6-0553/2005
- Motion for a resolution: B6-0554/2005
- Motion for a resolution: B6-0555/2005
- Motion for a resolution: B6-0556/2005
- Motion for a resolution: B6-0557/2005
- Joint motion for resolution: RC-B6-0551/2005
- Text adopted by Parliament, topical subjects: T6-0407/2005 OJ C 272 09.11.2006, p. 0274-0440 E
Votes
RC B6-0551/2005 - Biotechnologies - am. 7 #
RC B6-0551/2005 - Biotechnologies - am. 2 #
RC B6-0551/2005 - Biotechnologies - am. 19/1 #
RC B6-0551/2005 - Biotechnologies - am. 19/2 #
RC B6-0551/2005 - Biotechnologies - am. 9 #
DE | PL | IT | LV | IE | HU | EL | SK | LU | SI | NL | LT | AT | PT | MT | CY | CZ | BE | DK | EE | FI | ES | SE | FR | GB | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total |
80
|
50
|
57
|
9
|
11
|
18
|
20
|
12
|
6
|
5
|
22
|
11
|
15
|
19
|
5
|
5
|
23
|
22
|
12
|
6
|
13
|
48
|
17
|
68
|
71
|
|
PPE-DE |
235
|
Germany PPE-DEFor (42)Albert DESS, Alexander RADWAN, Alfred GOMOLKA, Andreas SCHWAB, Angelika NIEBLER, Anja WEISGERBER, Bernd POSSELT, Christian EHLER, Christoph KONRAD, Daniel CASPARY, Dieter-Lebrecht KOCH, Doris PACK, Elisabeth JEGGLE, Elmar BROK, Ewa KLAMT, Georg JARZEMBOWSKI, Godelieve QUISTHOUDT-ROWOHL, Hans-Peter MAYER, Herbert REUL, Horst SCHNELLHARDT, Ingeborg GRÄSSLE, Ingo FRIEDRICH, Joachim WUERMELING, Jürgen SCHRÖDER, Karl von WOGAU, Karsten Friedrich HOPPENSTEDT, Klaus-Heiner LEHNE, Kurt Joachim LAUK, Kurt LECHNER, Lutz GOEPEL, Manfred WEBER, Markus FERBER, Markus PIEPER, Michael GAHLER, Peter LIESE, Rainer WIELAND, Renate SOMMER, Rolf BEREND, Ruth HIERONYMI, Thomas MANN, Thomas ULMER, Werner LANGEN
Against (1) |
Poland PPE-DEFor (16)Barbara KUDRYCKA, Bogdan KLICH, Bogusław SONIK, Czesław Adam SIEKIERSKI, Filip KACZMAREK, Jacek PROTASIEWICZ, Jacek SARYUSZ-WOLSKI, Janusz WOJCIECHOWSKI, Jerzy BUZEK, Małgorzata HANDZLIK, Paweł Bartłomiej PISKORSKI, Stanisław JAŁOWIECKI, Tadeusz ZWIEFKA, Zbigniew KUŹMIUK, Zbigniew ZALESKI, Zdzisław Kazimierz CHMIELEWSKI
Against (1) |
3
|
Ireland PPE-DEFor (4)Against (1) |
Hungary PPE-DEFor (12) |
Greece PPE-DEFor (9)Abstain (1) |
Slovakia PPE-DEFor (7) |
3
|
4
|
Netherlands PPE-DEFor (6) |
2
|
Austria PPE-DEFor (3)Against (1)Abstain (1) |
Portugal PPE-DEFor (7)Against (1) |
2
|
2
|
Czechia PPE-DEFor (9)Against (4) |
Belgium PPE-DEAgainst (1) |
1
|
1
|
3
|
Spain PPE-DEFor (18)Agustín DÍAZ DE MERA GARCÍA CONSUEGRA, Alejo VIDAL-QUADRAS, Ana MATO ADROVER, Antonio LÓPEZ-ISTÚRIZ WHITE, Carlos ITURGAIZ, Carmen FRAGA ESTÉVEZ, Esther HERRANZ GARCÍA, Fernando FERNÁNDEZ MARTÍN, Francisco José MILLÁN MON, Gerardo GALEOTE, Jaime MAYOR OREJA, José Ignacio SALAFRANCA SÁNCHEZ-NEYRA, José Javier POMÉS RUIZ, Luis HERRERO-TEJEDOR, Luis de GRANDES PASCUAL, Luisa Fernanda RUDI UBEDA, Pilar AYUSO, Íñigo MÉNDEZ DE VIGO
Against (5) |
Sweden PPE-DEAgainst (4)Abstain (1) |
France PPE-DEFor (1)Against (12) |
United Kingdom PPE-DEFor (9)Against (13)Abstain (4) |
|
Verts/ALE |
37
|
Germany Verts/ALEFor (9) |
1
|
1
|
1
|
Netherlands Verts/ALEAbstain (1) |
2
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
3
|
1
|
France Verts/ALEFor (6) |
United Kingdom Verts/ALEFor (4)Abstain (1) |
||||||||||||
UEN |
23
|
Poland UENFor (6) |
Italy UENFor (6)Against (1) |
4
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
|||||||||||||||||||
NI |
24
|
Poland NIAgainst (1) |
3
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
France NIFor (7) |
United Kingdom NIFor (1)Against (2)Abstain (1) |
|||||||||||||||||
IND/DEM |
30
|
9
|
3
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
3
|
2
|
United Kingdom IND/DEMAgainst (8) |
||||||||||||||||
GUE/NGL |
33
|
Germany GUE/NGLFor (7) |
Italy GUE/NGLAgainst (4)Abstain (2) |
3
|
1
|
3
|
2
|
Czechia GUE/NGLAgainst (6) |
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
|||||||||||||
ALDE |
76
|
Germany ALDEFor (1)Against (5)Abstain (1) |
Poland ALDE |
Italy ALDEFor (7)Against (2) |
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
Netherlands ALDEAgainst (4) |
Lithuania ALDEFor (2)Against (3) |
1
|
1
|
Belgium ALDEFor (1)Against (5) |
Denmark ALDEAgainst (3)Abstain (1) |
2
|
Finland ALDEFor (1)Against (4) |
2
|
2
|
France ALDEFor (8)Against (2) |
United Kingdom ALDEAgainst (6)Abstain (1) |
||||||
PSE |
167
|
Germany PSEFor (1)Against (13) |
Poland PSEFor (2)Against (8) |
Italy PSEFor (2)Against (10) |
1
|
Hungary PSEAgainst (5) |
Greece PSEAgainst (7) |
3
|
1
|
1
|
Netherlands PSEAgainst (5) |
2
|
Austria PSEAgainst (6) |
Portugal PSEAgainst (8) |
3
|
2
|
Belgium PSEAgainst (7) |
Denmark PSEFor (1)Against (3) |
3
|
3
|
Spain PSEFor (1)Against (18)
Alejandro CERCAS,
Antolín SÁNCHEZ PRESEDO,
Antonio MASIP HIDALGO,
Bárbara DÜHRKOP DÜHRKOP,
Carlos CARNERO GONZÁLEZ,
Elena VALENCIANO,
Emilio MENÉNDEZ del VALLE,
Enrique BARÓN CRESPO,
Francisca PLEGUEZUELOS AGUILAR,
Inés AYALA SENDER,
Javier MORENO SÁNCHEZ,
Luis YÁÑEZ-BARNUEVO GARCÍA,
Manuel MEDINA ORTEGA,
Maria BADIA i CUTCHET,
María Isabel SALINAS GARCÍA,
Miguel Angel MARTÍNEZ MARTÍNEZ,
Rosa MIGUÉLEZ RAMOS,
Teresa RIERA MADURELL
|
Sweden PSEAgainst (5) |
France PSEFor (2)Against (27)
Adeline HAZAN,
André LAIGNEL,
Anne FERREIRA,
Benoît HAMON,
Bernadette BOURZAI,
Bernadette VERGNAUD,
Bernard POIGNANT,
Brigitte DOUAY,
Catherine GUY-QUINT,
Catherine TRAUTMANN,
Françoise CASTEX,
Gilles SAVARY,
Guy BONO,
Harlem DÉSIR,
Jean Louis COTTIGNY,
Jean-Claude FRUTEAU,
Marie-Arlette CARLOTTI,
Marie-Line REYNAUD,
Martine ROURE,
Michel ROCARD,
Pervenche BERÈS,
Pierre MOSCOVICI,
Pierre SCHAPIRA,
Robert NAVARRO,
Stéphane LE FOLL,
Vincent PEILLON,
Yannick VAUGRENARD
|
United Kingdom PSEFor (1)Against (16) |
RC B6-0551/2005 - Biotechnologies - am. 3 #
RC B6-0551/2005 - Biotechnologies - am. 4 #
GB | SE | FI | DK | FR | BE | EE | PT | LT | CZ | MT | NL | AT | SI | LV | CY | LU | HU | IE | EL | SK | ES | IT | PL | DE | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total |
69
|
17
|
13
|
12
|
67
|
23
|
6
|
20
|
12
|
24
|
5
|
23
|
16
|
6
|
9
|
5
|
6
|
19
|
12
|
23
|
13
|
48
|
55
|
49
|
83
|
|
PSE |
170
|
United Kingdom PSEFor (15) |
5
|
3
|
4
|
France PSEFor (29)Adeline HAZAN, André LAIGNEL, Anne FERREIRA, Benoît HAMON, Bernadette BOURZAI, Bernadette VERGNAUD, Bernard POIGNANT, Brigitte DOUAY, Catherine GUY-QUINT, Catherine TRAUTMANN, Françoise CASTEX, Gilles SAVARY, Guy BONO, Harlem DÉSIR, Henri WEBER, Jean Louis COTTIGNY, Jean-Claude FRUTEAU, Kader ARIF, Marie-Arlette CARLOTTI, Marie-Line REYNAUD, Martine ROURE, Michel ROCARD, Pervenche BERÈS, Pierre MOSCOVICI, Pierre SCHAPIRA, Robert NAVARRO, Stéphane LE FOLL, Vincent PEILLON, Yannick VAUGRENARD
|
Belgium PSEFor (6)Against (1) |
3
|
Portugal PSEFor (9) |
2
|
2
|
3
|
Netherlands PSE |