Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-11-29-Speech-4-035"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20011129.1.4-035"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spoken text |
"Mr President, if Europe is to be the most competitive and dynamic economy in the world, as proudly stated at the Lisbon Council, then we must provide the conditions and the environment which will encourage our scientists to test the frontiers of knowledge. We cannot hobble that search and yet we must also uphold the dignity of the human person. What is human dignity? What is the dignity of someone with Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, cystic fibrosis or quadriplegia resulting from spinal injury? Yes, the embryo also is due dignity, but we have large numbers of supernumerary embryos resulting from in vitro fertilisation and these are usually frozen and ultimately destroyed. Is it not better that these be made available for research purposes, with parental permission, rather than they be uselessly destroyed?
It is vital that any such research in these sensitive areas be done under strict regulation and only in those countries where it is permitted and where there is adequate regulation. To my friends I would say, the Good Samaritan crossed the road and helped his neighbour: your neighbour may have Parkinson's disease, or Alzheimer's disease or spinal injury, or diabetes. With due respect, would you pass by on the other side?
This report also touches on the issue of the patenting of biotechnological inventions, Directive 98/44. This Directive has passed through all the legislative processes necessary in the European Union to make it law, Commission, Council and Parliament. Transposition, however, is years behind. It is surely up to the Commission to insist with all the legal powers at its disposal on transposition in all the remaining countries. Too often, in all these areas of advance, the Commission and the Member States use fine words and then dither and dally weakly while Europe falls yet further behind.
Commissioner, please be robust. Please stand up for the future of Europe."@en1
|
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples