Accepting the invitation expressed by the European Parliament, during the “Venice Conference on the safety and quality of organ donation and transplant in the EU” (17/18 September), an agreement has been signed inviting the European Council and Commission to begin the process for the adoption of the first directive in the sector. The joint document, signed by leading experts from 28 European countries, proposes that “the future directive tackle four fundamental aspects: the ethical and bioethical question, the procedures for the selection of donors, the traceability of organs and transparency in the various phases of donation and/or transplant”. The proposal will probably be formalised by the Italian Presidency by the end of the year.
