GUE/NGL MEPs supported a proposal to ban the cloning of farm animals as well as their offspring and cloned produce during a debate in the European Parliament this morning.

For Dutch MEP Anja Hazekamp: “I find cloning morally repugnant and it should be banned. EU citizens don't want it, consumers don't want it, farmers don't need it and animals pay the price. It will lead to a decline in small farmers and results in immeasurable suffering for animals. We call for a blanket ban on cloned animals with no exception as well as a ban on imports of cloned products.”

Spanish MEP Estefanía Torres said: “We are against cloning for food purposes and have particular concerns that farming is becoming more and more technical based on large investments and a high consumption of energy. This is damaging for the earth. It favours large companies and leaves small farmers defenceless. We want a strong rural culture with farmers working in jobs with dignity and respecting natural cycles.”

Czech MEP Kateřina Konečná highlighted the need “to protect EU standards which are under threat by TTIP. Animal cloning is widespread in the United States, so it is highly probable that the United States would like to export its products to the EU. This should be taken into account as well as public opinion in the EU.”

Galician MEP Lidia Senra warned: “We don't need cloned animals in the farming sector. Livestock breeders do not need expensive lab techniques to produce food. Cloning will only make us more dependent on major multinationals and will have an impact on food safety. It also has an impact on animal health and welfare. We need to ensure zero-tolerance for cloning and ban the marketing of reproductive material and food.”

Portuguese MEP Miguel Viegas evoked the precautionary principle. “We think the precautionary principle is extremely important when it comes to cloning and should be strengthened through control and enforcement mechanisms to ensure that there is no marketing and consumption of products deriving from cloning. This report is a wake-up call. Cloning puts small farms, biodiversity, social and environmental standards in danger.”

GUE/NGL Press Contact:

Gay Kavanagh +32 473 84 23 20