Ethical Issues

Public opinion related to food production has become a major force in the setting of European Policy. For some consumers, ethical issues, such as animal welfare, have become a significant factor in purchase decisions. The attitudes of European Citizens and consumers influence production systems, legislation and the acceptability of (new) technologies. Sustainability and competitiveness are directly linked to consumer confidence in the safety of market products. Public opinion has to be taken into account.

All SABRE members are conforming to current legislation and regulations in the countries where the research will be carried out. Where required by national legislation or rules, participants shall seek the necessary licences and approval of the relevant ethics committees prior to the start of all the RTD activities involving the use of animals in research. SABRE members are conforming to relevant EU legislation. Non-EU partners will provide written assurance that any research on animals is in-line with EU regulations.

In addition, SABRE members will respect the following international conventions and declarations:

·       Helsinki Declaration in its latest version.

·       Convention of the Council of Europe on Human Rights and Biomedicine signed in Oviedo on 4 April 1997, and the Additional Protocol on the Prohibition of Cloning Human Beings signed in Paris on 12 January 1998.

·       UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

·       Universal Declaration on the human genome and human rights adopted by UNESCO.

Moreover, participants will take into account the opinions of the European Group of Advisers on the Ethical Implications of Biotechnology (1991 –1997) and the opinions of the European Group on Ethics in Science and New technologies (as from 1998).

SABRE includes an Independent Animal Welfare Advisor: Dr Bryan Jones is a freelance Consultant in Animal Behaviour and Welfare, and joint coordinator of the EC FP6 project ‘Welfare Quality’.