No food from cloned animals, MEPs tell Commission

The health and food safety committee in the European Parliament have voted on a resolution criticising two proposals by the Commission on the cloning of animals and placing on the market of food from cloned animals.

S&D author of the resolution MEP Daciana Sârbu said: “A ban on food from clones is not enough. In fact, it is almost meaningless, because the EU would continue to support the cruel and unnecessary practice of cloning by marketing the products from the offspring and descendants of clones. At the very least, we want products from the cloning process to be labelled so that people can make a choice about whether to buy these foods. The Parliament was firm on this demand three years ago and it is very disappointing that the Commission was not able to present a real solution.

S&D spokesperson in the health and food safety committee, MEP Linda McAvan, said: “We have repeatedly said that citizens want to know what they eat. We regret that the proposals do not contain a prohibition on the supply, placing on the market and use of the offspring of clones for farming purposes (either already born or embryos) and reproductive material from cloned animals. It does not make sense to ban cloning in the EU if we allow imports of offspring of cloned animals.”

“The Commission should withdraw its proposal and put forward a better one.”