European Union ministers are gathered in Brussels today to decide on whether to block EU funding for research on human embryonic stem cells. Although scientists are promoting the research as a potential method to treat diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, many EU nations are fully opposed to the studies.

|PIC1|Just last week in the USA, President George Bush used his power of veto for the first time to limit federal funding for the research. It is believed that if EU ministers go the same way, that some studies would run out of funding by 2007.

Each of the 25 EU nations have greatly varied legislation on the issue, and it is debated whether the hope for stem cells to be used to repair parts of the body or develop new drugs is possible or not, as well as whether this is ethically correct.

In research experiments, stem cells are removed from human embryos left over from fertility treatment, however the process results in the destruction of the embryo.

German Research Minister Annette Schavan told fellow ministers, “We must conserve human life from its conception. We want no financial incentives to kill embryos,” report the BBC.

She admitted that finding an agreement on the issue among the 25 member states would be “very difficult”.

|TOP|Finland, which is the current holder of the EU's rotating presidency, suspended the debate until after lunch in an attempt to find a compromise that would satisfy Germany and seven like-minded countries - Austria, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland and Slovakia.

If these nations stand united they could block the adoption of the EU's £37 billion research budget for 2007-13, of which stem cell research forms a very small part.

If this were the case, EU ministers would put themselves on a collision course with the European Parliament, which voted last month in favour of continuing stem cell research, subject to various restrictive measures.

Finland are known to be keen for member states to agree with the European parliament, but a number of the countries standing in opposition of stem cell research are greatly influenced by core Roman Catholic teachings against it.|AD|

Belgium, Spain, Sweden and the UK are among the nations most actively backing Europe’s drive for stem cell research.

No matter what decision the EU reach in Brussels, nationally-funded projects would continue even if European funds came to a halt.

The existing conditions laid down for EU-funded research indicate that only embryos left over from fertility treatment, which are destined to be disposed of, can be used for studies and experiments.

In particular, funds may not be used for research into human cloning for reproductive purposes or changing the genetic coding of human beings. Also EU funds are specifically not available for therapeutic cloning of stem cells, or the creation of embryos for research purposes. However, both of these methods have already been permitted in the UK.