Between fears and hopes

On 30 January, the Committee of the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety of the European Parliament, currently drafting a legislative framework for so-called innovative therapies, approved a report by the Polish deputy Miroslav Mikolašik (Epp), in response to the legislative proposal of the European Commission. “The plenary will have to express its view on a first reading in March”, and in a climate of “an increasingly stormy confrontation”, it is to be hoped that “an objective debate may be conducted on the ethical questions and a solution reached that may guarantee the fundamental ethical principles” at stake, observes KATHARINA SCHAUER in the February number of “Europe infos”, monthly of Comece (Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community) and Ocipe (Catholic Office of Information and Initiative for Europe). This number, which opens with an editorial by NOËL TREANOR on Eu enlargement to 27 and the common responsibility of Catholics and Orthodox for the future of Europe, also gives scope to the concerns and hopes of the future member states, Croatia and the countries of the western Balkans. Meanwhile, to mark the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaties of Rome, Comece is holding a congress in the Italian capital (from 23 to 25 March) on “What values and what prospects for the Europe of tomorrow?”. TOWARDS AN ETHICAL FRAMEWORK. “The debate within the Environment Committee has underlined the divisions between the deputies” points out Schauer, emphasizing that “in the field of innovative therapies, one of the major priorities of an ethical nature is respect for the principle of the non-commercialization of the human body and it parts, as established by the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the Union and by the Oviedo Convention”. Other inalienable principles include “the prohibition of intervening on the human genome, i.e. modifying egg-cells and spermatozoa”, but Schauer also draws attention “to possible products obtained with the use of embryonic stem cells – an issue on which there does not exist a uniform regulation in member states – or with the use of cells removed from forms of hybrid life”. CROATIA. The itinerary of the “most Latin of Slav countries” towards the European Union – accession is planned for 2009 – is traced by DAVOR SIMAC. It’s a process that began in 2003 with the presentation of Croatia’s candidature; in 2005 the European Commission gave the go ahead to membership negotiations, articulated in 35 chapters. “The objective of gaining membership before the European parliamentary elections is ambitious but realistic – observes Simac -. The pace of negotiations was accelerated in October. The reforms so far undertaken, in particular those in which the Commission has ascertained some difficulties, remain to be pursued and rectified: namely, the reform of the judicial system and the fight against corruption, the reform of the administration and of some sectors of the economy such as ship-building or steel”. So far for Croatia; but according to the author of the article, Europe too must play its part, especially by “seriously combating” “so-called enlargement fatigue, a phrase that, though unfounded, could, by constant repetition, permeate public opinion”. WESTERN BALKANS. This view is shared by STEFAN KUBE , who is convinced that “the tiredness of many European citizens in the process of enlargement”, as revealed by recent opinion polls, is “a source of growing insecurity in the political leaders and citizens of the countries of the western Balkans”, a “region” that comprises, apart from Croatia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania and Kosovo. “With the exception of Croatia – notes Kube – the other countries will not be able to satisfy in the short tern the required political, economic and judicial criteria for membership. To be realistic – he explains – the waiting times between the signing of an ASA (accord of stabilization and association, so far signed only by Macedonia and Albania), the first obstacle to be overcome, and the final objective of full EU accession, cover a time span of between 10 and 20 years. In spite of this relatively long interval, we need to prevent this region, already surrounded by member states, losing hope of being able one day to join the EU”. “To demonstrate to the western Balkans that their efforts are already bearing fruit – suggests Kube – the Union ought to provide”, though without any diminution of “the commitment to respecting the membership criteria”, some intermediate stages with a view to an improvement of the living conditions of the populations, such as long-term financial aid and a simplified visa policy”.