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The aims of CLONING IN PUBLIC are <OL> <LI> to develop recommendations for European regulation and for guidelines on research regarding the use of farm animal cloning such as genetically modified animals for bio-reactors<LI> to foster an informed public, European debate on these issues, including major stakeholders, university students and representatives of the general public from different parts of Europe.
The two aims are of equal importance. They are interrelated because regulation or guidelines, to serve their purpose, must take public concerns into account. Inspiring and informing debate is, however, also a purpose in its own right and with the long term perspective of improving communication between science, civil society and European authorities at different levels on European public affairs related to science and technology.
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What is the state-of-the-art concerning farm animal cloning? Which objectives and rationales are driving the research in this field? How is animal biotechnology regulated at present? What do we know about public attitudes and ethical concerns? Information relating to these questions will be gathered and synthesized through a combination of literature reviews, individual interviews, focused public workshops and a final, larger participatory conference.
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The project's focus is on applications of farm animal cloning in agriculture, food production and in biomedical research and development. Experts on different aspects of farm animal cloning will be brought together with representatives of industry and other NGOs and students and citizens' representatives from different parts of Europe in the public workshops and the synthesizing arrangement with an active, participatory element. Together with the background studies and the interviews, these events will aim at getting the necessary overview regarding the scientific, legal and ethical aspects of farm animal cloning. The project results will be disseminated through its public events.
<P>For more information about this project, please visit the <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/research/biosociety/food_quality/projects/058_en.ht…; target="_blank">European Commission Food Quality and Safety in Europe</a> Web site.