The European Parliament,

–   having regard to Rule 108(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.   whereas the Protocol on protection and welfare of animals requires the Community and Member States to pay full regard to animal welfare requirements in formulating and implementing agriculture and research policies,

B.   whereas cloning processes show low rates of survival for transferred embryos and cloned animals, with many cloned animals dying in the early stages of life from cardiovascular failure, immuno-deficiencies, liver failure, respiratory problems, and kidney and musculoskeletal abnormalities,

C.   whereas the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concluded in its opinion of 2008 that mortality and morbidity levels in cloned animals are higher than in sexually produced animals and late pregnancy losses and disorders are likely to affect the welfare of surrogate mothers,

D.   whereas, given current levels of suffering and health problems of surrogate dams and cloned animals, the European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies (EGE) questions whether cloning animals for food supply is ethically justified and does not view as convincing arguments to justify food production from cloned animals and their offspring,

E.   whereas Council Directive 98/58/EC of 20 July 1998 concerning the protection of animals kept for farming purposes(1) provides that 'natural or artificial breeding or breeding procedures which cause or are likely to cause suffering or injury to any of the animals concerned must not be practised' (Annex, paragraph 20),

F.   whereas cloning would significantly reduce genetic diversity within livestock populations, increasing the possibility of whole herds being wiped out by diseases to which they are susceptible,

G.   whereas EFSA published on 24 July 2008 a scientific opinion on the implications of animal cloning for food safety, animal health and welfare and the environment, in which it concluded that the health and welfare of a significant proportion of cloned animals was adversely affected, often severely and fatally,

H.   whereas, while the principal purpose of cloning is to produce multiple copies of animals with fast growth rates or high yields, traditional selective breeding has already led to leg disorders and cardiovascular malfunction in fast-growing pigs, and lameness, mastitis and premature culling in high-yielding cattle; and whereas cloning the fastest-growing and highest-yielding animals will lead to even higher levels of health and welfare problems,

I.   whereas, in addition to the fact that the implications of the cloning of animals for food supply have not been adequately studied, it poses a serious threat to the image and substance of the European agricultural model, which is based on product quality, environment-friendly principles and respect for stringent animal welfare conditions,

1.  Calls on the Commission to submit proposals prohibiting for food supply purposes (i) the cloning of animals, (ii) the farming of cloned animals or their offspring, (iii) the placing on the market of meat or dairy products derived from cloned animals or their offspring and (iv) the importing of cloned animals, their offspring, semen and embryos from cloned animals or their offspring, and meat or dairy products derived from cloned animals or their offspring, taking into account the recommendations of EFSA and the EGE;

2.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission.

(1) OJ L 221, 8.8.1998, p. 23.