BETA


2005/2621(RSP) Resolution on patents for biotechnological inventions

Progress: Procedure completed

Legal Basis:
RoP 132-p2

Events

2005/10/26
   EP - Text adopted by Parliament, topical subjects
Details

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 .

2005/10/26
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
2005/10/26
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Details

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
2005/10/26
   EP - End of procedure in Parliament
2005/10/25
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
2005/10/25
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
2005/10/25
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
2005/10/25
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
2005/10/25
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
2005/10/25
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
2005/10/25
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
2005/10/25
   Joint motion for resolution
Documents
2005/10/25
   EP - Debate in Parliament

Documents

Votes

RC B6-0551/2005 - Biotechnologies - am. 7 #

2005/10/26 Outcome: +: 379, -: 231, 0: 18
DE IT PL CZ IE LV SK ES EL HU LU GB AT CY FR SI LT SE FI MT BE PT NL EE DK
Total
82
57
47
23
12
9
13
47
22
19
6
65
16
5
70
6
12
17
13
5
22
20
22
5
13
icon: PPE-DE PPE-DE
231

Luxembourg PPE-DE

3

Austria PPE-DE

Abstain (1)

4

Cyprus PPE-DE

2
2
3

Malta PPE-DE

2

Estonia PPE-DE

For (1)

1

Denmark PPE-DE

For (1)

1
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
36

Italy Verts/ALE

1

Latvia Verts/ALE

1

Spain Verts/ALE

Abstain (1)

3

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

United Kingdom Verts/ALE

5

Austria Verts/ALE

2

Sweden Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Finland Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Belgium Verts/ALE

2

Netherlands Verts/ALE

Abstain (1)

3

Denmark Verts/ALE

For (1)

1
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
35

Ireland GUE/NGL

1

Spain GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

United Kingdom GUE/NGL

1

Cyprus GUE/NGL

2

France GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Sweden GUE/NGL

1

Finland GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Portugal GUE/NGL

For (1)

3

Netherlands GUE/NGL

For (1)

1
icon: UEN UEN
21

Ireland UEN

3

Lithuania UEN

2

Denmark UEN

For (1)

1
icon: NI NI
26

Italy NI

Against (1)

3

Czechia NI

1

Slovakia NI

Abstain (1)

2

United Kingdom NI

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

4

Austria NI

2
icon: IND/DEM IND/DEM
30

Czechia IND/DEM

1

Ireland IND/DEM

For (1)

1

Sweden IND/DEM

3

Netherlands IND/DEM

2

Denmark IND/DEM

Abstain (1)

1
icon: ALDE ALDE
77

Ireland ALDE

For (1)

1

Latvia ALDE

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1

Spain ALDE

Abstain (1)

2

Hungary ALDE

Against (1)

1

Luxembourg ALDE

For (1)

1

Austria ALDE

1

Cyprus ALDE

Against (1)

1

Slovenia ALDE

Against (1)

1

Sweden ALDE

2

Estonia ALDE

Against (1)

1

Denmark ALDE

Abstain (1)

4
icon: PSE PSE
172

Czechia PSE

2

Ireland PSE

Against (1)

1

Slovakia PSE

3

Luxembourg PSE

Against (1)

1

Slovenia PSE

Against (1)

1

Lithuania PSE

2

Finland PSE

3

RC B6-0551/2005 - Biotechnologies - am. 2 #

2005/10/26 Outcome: -: 333, +: 287, 0: 24
SE GB DK FI LT BE EE PT CY EL MT NL SI ES LU SK AT LV FR CZ HU IE IT PL DE
Total
17
70
13
13
12
22
6
20
5
23
5
23
6
47
6
13
17
9
70
23
19
12
59
50
84
icon: PSE PSE
176

Lithuania PSE

2

Slovenia PSE

For (1)

1

Luxembourg PSE

For (1)

1

Czechia PSE

2

Ireland PSE

1
icon: ALDE ALDE
80

Sweden ALDE

2
4

Estonia ALDE

2

Cyprus ALDE

For (1)

1

Slovenia ALDE

1

Spain ALDE

Abstain (1)

2

Luxembourg ALDE

For (1)

1

Austria ALDE

Against (1)

1

Latvia ALDE

1

Hungary ALDE

1

Ireland ALDE

Against (1)

1
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
35

Sweden GUE/NGL

1

United Kingdom GUE/NGL

1

Finland GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Portugal GUE/NGL

3

Cyprus GUE/NGL

2

Netherlands GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Spain GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

France GUE/NGL

Abstain (1)

1

Ireland GUE/NGL

1
icon: NI NI
26

United Kingdom NI

Abstain (1)

4

Belgium NI

3

Slovakia NI

Abstain (1)

2

Austria NI

2

Czechia NI

Abstain (1)

1

Italy NI

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

3
icon: UEN UEN
23

Denmark UEN

Abstain (1)

1

Lithuania UEN

2

Ireland UEN

3
icon: IND/DEM IND/DEM
30

Sweden IND/DEM

3

Denmark IND/DEM

1

Netherlands IND/DEM

2

Czechia IND/DEM

Against (1)

1

Ireland IND/DEM

Against (1)

1
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
37

Sweden Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

United Kingdom Verts/ALE

5

Denmark Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Finland Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Belgium Verts/ALE

2

Spain Verts/ALE

2

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Austria Verts/ALE

2

Latvia Verts/ALE

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1

Italy Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1
icon: PPE-DE PPE-DE
237

Denmark PPE-DE

For (1)

1

Finland PPE-DE

3

Lithuania PPE-DE

2

Estonia PPE-DE

Against (1)

1

Cyprus PPE-DE

2

Malta PPE-DE

Against (2)

2

Slovenia PPE-DE

4

Luxembourg PPE-DE

3

Austria PPE-DE

Abstain (1)

5

Latvia PPE-DE

3

Ireland PPE-DE

For (1)

5

RC B6-0551/2005 - Biotechnologies - am. 19/1 #

2005/10/26 Outcome: +: 318, -: 299, 0: 24
DE PL IT FR SK IE HU LU AT ES SI LV LT PT NL CY EL BE MT EE DK FI CZ SE GB
Total
82
50
58
69
13
12
19
6
17
48
6
9
12
20
23
5
23
23
5
6
12
13
23
17
70
icon: PPE-DE PPE-DE
237

Ireland PPE-DE

Against (1)

5

Luxembourg PPE-DE

3
2

Cyprus PPE-DE

2

Malta PPE-DE

2

Estonia PPE-DE

For (1)

1

Denmark PPE-DE

Against (1)

1

Finland PPE-DE

3
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
38

Italy Verts/ALE

1

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Austria Verts/ALE

2

Latvia Verts/ALE

1

Belgium Verts/ALE

2

Denmark Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Finland Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Sweden Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

United Kingdom Verts/ALE

5
icon: UEN UEN
22

Ireland UEN

Abstain (1)

3

Lithuania UEN

2

Denmark UEN

For (1)

1
icon: NI NI
25

Italy NI

Against (1)

3

Slovakia NI

Abstain (1)

2

Austria NI

2

Czechia NI

Against (1)

1

United Kingdom NI

For (1)

Against (2)

Abstain (1)

4
icon: IND/DEM IND/DEM
30

Ireland IND/DEM

For (1)

1

Netherlands IND/DEM

2

Denmark IND/DEM

1

Czechia IND/DEM

Against (1)

1

Sweden IND/DEM

3
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
35

France GUE/NGL

Abstain (1)

1

Ireland GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Spain GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Portugal GUE/NGL

Against (1)

3

Netherlands GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Cyprus GUE/NGL

2

Finland GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Sweden GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

United Kingdom GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1
icon: ALDE ALDE
79

Ireland ALDE

For (1)

1

Hungary ALDE

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1

Luxembourg ALDE

For (1)

1

Austria ALDE

1

Spain ALDE

Abstain (1)

2

Slovenia ALDE

Against (1)

1

Latvia ALDE

Against (1)

1

Cyprus ALDE

Abstain (1)

1

Estonia ALDE

Against (2)

2

Denmark ALDE

Abstain (1)

4

Sweden ALDE

2
icon: PSE PSE
175

Slovakia PSE

3

Ireland PSE

Against (1)

1

Luxembourg PSE

Against (1)

1

Slovenia PSE

Against (1)

1

Lithuania PSE

2

Finland PSE

3

Czechia PSE

2

RC B6-0551/2005 - Biotechnologies - am. 19/2 #

2005/10/26 Outcome: -: 527, +: 76, 0: 36
LU CY AT LV MT IE SI EE DK FI LT SK NL BE PT SE HU EL CZ PL FR ES IT DE GB
Total
6
5
17
9
5
12
6
6
12
13
12
13
23
22
19
17
19
22
23
50
70
47
58
83
70
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
38

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Austria Verts/ALE

2

Latvia Verts/ALE

1

Denmark Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Finland Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Belgium Verts/ALE

2

Sweden Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Italy Verts/ALE

1

United Kingdom Verts/ALE

5
icon: NI NI
26

Austria NI

2

Slovakia NI

2

Czechia NI

Against (1)

1

Italy NI

Against (1)

3

United Kingdom NI

For (1)

Against (2)

Abstain (1)

4
icon: IND/DEM IND/DEM
30

Ireland IND/DEM

For (1)

1

Denmark IND/DEM

1

Netherlands IND/DEM

2

Sweden IND/DEM

3

Czechia IND/DEM

Against (1)

1

Italy IND/DEM

For (1)

3
icon: UEN UEN
23

Ireland UEN

For (1)

3

Denmark UEN

Against (1)

1

Lithuania UEN

2
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
34

Cyprus GUE/NGL

2

Ireland GUE/NGL

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1

Finland GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Netherlands GUE/NGL

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1

Portugal GUE/NGL

Against (1)

3

Sweden GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

France GUE/NGL

Abstain (1)

1

Spain GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

United Kingdom GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1
icon: ALDE ALDE
79

Luxembourg ALDE

Against (1)

1

Cyprus ALDE

Abstain (1)

1

Austria ALDE

1

Latvia ALDE

Against (1)

1

Ireland ALDE

Against (1)

1

Slovenia ALDE

Against (1)

1

Estonia ALDE

Against (2)

2

Denmark ALDE

Abstain (1)

4

Sweden ALDE

2

Hungary ALDE

Against (1)

1
2
icon: PSE PSE
174

Luxembourg PSE

Against (1)

1

Ireland PSE

Against (1)

1

Slovenia PSE

Against (1)

1

Finland PSE

3

Lithuania PSE

2

Slovakia PSE

3

Czechia PSE

2
icon: PPE-DE PPE-DE
235

Luxembourg PPE-DE

3

Cyprus PPE-DE

2

Austria PPE-DE

Abstain (1)

5

Latvia PPE-DE

3

Malta PPE-DE

Against (2)

2

Slovenia PPE-DE

4

Estonia PPE-DE

Against (1)

1

Denmark PPE-DE

Against (1)

1

Finland PPE-DE

3

Lithuania PPE-DE

2

RC B6-0551/2005 - Biotechnologies - am. 9 #

2005/10/26 Outcome: +: 325, -: 275, 0: 25
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
icon: PPE-DE PPE-DE
235

Ireland PPE-DE

Against (1)

5

Luxembourg PPE-DE

3
2

Austria PPE-DE

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

5

Malta PPE-DE

2

Cyprus PPE-DE

2

Denmark PPE-DE

Against (1)

1

Estonia PPE-DE

For (1)

1

Finland PPE-DE

For (1)

3
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
37

Italy Verts/ALE

1

Latvia Verts/ALE

1

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Austria Verts/ALE

2

Belgium Verts/ALE

2

Denmark Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Finland Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Spain Verts/ALE

Against (1)

3

Sweden Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

United Kingdom Verts/ALE

Abstain (1)

5
icon: UEN UEN
23

Ireland UEN

Abstain (1)

3

Lithuania UEN

Abstain (1)

2

Denmark UEN

Abstain (1)

1
icon: NI NI
24

Italy NI

Abstain (1)

3

Slovakia NI

Abstain (1)

2

Austria NI

For (1)

1

Czechia NI

1

Belgium NI

2

United Kingdom NI

For (1)

Against (2)

Abstain (1)

4
icon: IND/DEM IND/DEM
30

Ireland IND/DEM

For (1)

1

Netherlands IND/DEM

2

Czechia IND/DEM

Abstain (1)

1

Denmark IND/DEM

1

Sweden IND/DEM

For (1)

3

France IND/DEM

2
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
33

Netherlands GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Portugal GUE/NGL

Abstain (1)

3

Cyprus GUE/NGL

2

Finland GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Spain GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Sweden GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

France GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

United Kingdom GUE/NGL

1
icon: ALDE ALDE
76

Latvia ALDE

Against (1)

1

Ireland ALDE

For (1)

1

Hungary ALDE

Against (1)

1

Luxembourg ALDE

For (1)

1

Austria ALDE

1

Cyprus ALDE

Against (1)

1

Denmark ALDE

Abstain (1)

4

Estonia ALDE

Against (2)

2

Spain ALDE

Abstain (1)

2

Sweden ALDE

2
icon: PSE PSE
167

Ireland PSE

Against (1)

1

Slovakia PSE

3

Luxembourg PSE

Against (1)

1

Slovenia PSE

Against (1)

1

Lithuania PSE

2

Czechia PSE

2

Finland PSE

For (1)

3

RC B6-0551/2005 - Biotechnologies - am. 3 #

2005/10/26 Outcome: -: 306, +: 291, 0: 41
GB SE DK BE FI LT EE FR EL MT NL CZ ES SI AT PT CY LV IT SK IE LU HU PL DE
Total
71
17
12
23
13
12
6
68
23
5
23
24
45
6
16
20
5
9
58
13
12
5
19
50
83
icon: PSE PSE
172

Lithuania PSE

2

Czechia PSE

2

Slovenia PSE

For (1)

1

Ireland PSE

1
icon: ALDE ALDE
80

Sweden ALDE

Abstain (1)

2
4

Estonia ALDE

2

Slovenia ALDE

1

Austria ALDE

Against (1)

1

Cyprus ALDE

For (1)

1

Latvia ALDE

1

Ireland ALDE

Abstain (1)

1

Luxembourg ALDE

Abstain (1)

1

Hungary ALDE

1
icon: NI NI
26

United Kingdom NI

For (1)

Against (2)

Abstain (1)

4

Czechia NI

1

Austria NI

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

2

Slovakia NI

Abstain (1)

2
icon: UEN UEN
22

Denmark UEN

For (1)

1

Lithuania UEN

2

Ireland UEN

3
icon: IND/DEM IND/DEM
31

Sweden IND/DEM

3

Denmark IND/DEM

1

Netherlands IND/DEM

2

Czechia IND/DEM

1

Ireland IND/DEM

Against (1)

1
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
34

United Kingdom GUE/NGL

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1

Sweden GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Finland GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

France GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Netherlands GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Spain GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Portugal GUE/NGL

3

Cyprus GUE/NGL

2

Ireland GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
37

United Kingdom Verts/ALE

5

Sweden Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Denmark Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Belgium Verts/ALE

2

Finland Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Spain Verts/ALE

2

Austria Verts/ALE

2

Latvia Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Italy Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1
icon: PPE-DE PPE-DE
236

Denmark PPE-DE

For (1)

1

Finland PPE-DE

Against (1)

3

Lithuania PPE-DE

2

Estonia PPE-DE

Against (1)

1

Malta PPE-DE

Against (2)

2

Slovenia PPE-DE

4

Austria PPE-DE

Abstain (1)

5

Cyprus PPE-DE

2

Latvia PPE-DE

3

Ireland PPE-DE

For (1)

5

Luxembourg PPE-DE

3

RC B6-0551/2005 - Biotechnologies - am. 4 #

2005/10/26 Outcome: -: 322, +: 276, 0: 37
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
icon: PSE PSE
170

Lithuania PSE

2

Czechia PSE

2