EU Reaches Deal on Stem Cell Research

European Union science ministers reached a "historic" compromise this afternoon on the highly charged issue of research into stem cells from human embryos.

At the end of a passionate debate, which pitted liberal and conservative countries against each other, Germany dropped its objections and threw its weight behind the compromise. This will allow individual member states to continue to spend money from the EU's £37bn science budget on research into human embryonic stem cells.

Germany only supported the compromise after winning an assurance from the European commission that no EU money would be spent on projects in which human embryos are destroyed.

Annette Schavan, the German science minister who had led a campaign against using the EU's science budget to fund stem cell research, said: "We can agree once there is a clear statement that there can be no financial incentives for the destruction of embryos."

Her remarks allowed Finland, which holds the EU's rotating presidency, to clinch what it called a "historic" deal. This will mean that individual member states will decide whether to spend EU money on stem cell research in their own countries.

Germany had spoken up strongly in favour of blocking such funds. Speaking a week after President George Bush used his veto to prevent US federal funds being spent on embryonic stem cells, Ms Schavan said: "We have got to do something that will conserve broad support for human life from its conception. The EU science programme should not be used to offer financial incentives to kill embryos."

Elisabeth Gehrer, the Austrian minister, echoed her remarks. "Do we really want 300-400 fertilised human embryos to be destroyed to create stem cells? This destruction of human embryos to create stem cell lines is not something we can support. We do not want community money, which includes Austrian money, to support this."

They were opposed by a powerful group of countries which showed that the divisions - aired in public under the EU's new transparency rules - were not simply between Roman Catholic and non-Catholic countries. Portugal, traditionally seen as a conservative Catholic country, strongly supported stem cell research.

Jose Mariano Gago, of Portugal, turned on his opponents when he said: "I hope that none of the colleagues will ever need treatment which does not yet exist for dementia and Alzheimer's. These are treatments which could be made possible by research with stem cells. If you find yourself in such a position I hope you would be able to say you did not stand in the way of such research."

Britain spoke up strongly against Germany. Lord Sainsbury of Turville, the science minister, said: "It will be morally unacceptable to withhold these advances from patients. The German proposal would seriously hinder research in this area ... We would be best advised to stick with and support the compromise on human embryonic stem cell research which the presidency has produced."

François Goulard, the French minister, spoke up in favour of the compromise. "We must not try to prevent very important research. We are talking about a fundamental understanding of the way in which living organisms work.

"Across the world we are seeing important scientific progress being made and I am a little bit worried that Europe might lag behind in an area where we absolutely have to be in the forefront. The presidency's text adds in more safeguards above the safeguards we already have in our national legislation. There is no country among us in which this research is conducted without some form of surveillance to make sure ethical considerations are taken into account."

Germany was in trouble from the start of the day when Slovenia changed its mind and made clear it would support the compromise.

Dusan Lesjak, the Slovenian minister, said: "We believe [this is] a constructive compromise. It takes into account the legal situation in every member state. It enables the enforcement of high ethical standards. We withdraw our reservation."