EU plans organ trade crackdown

By Shirin Wheeler
BBC correspondent in Strasbourg

Plans to crack down on the growing trade in human organs are due to be voted on by members of the European Parliament, meeting in the French city of Strasbourg.

There is a serious shortage of organs in the UK

The new law - which would still need to be agreed by EU governments - would bring criminal charges against European patients who pay for organs from living donors in developing counties.

Some opponents of the legislation say rather than criminalising patients politicians should concentrate on improving the donor systems and making more organs available.

Between 15% and 30% of transplant patients in Europe die waiting for an organ.

Closing loophole

That chronic shortage drives a dangerous trade in parts of the world like Asia and Eastern Europe where criminal gangs can exploit the extremely poor and the desperately ill.

Buying an organ in the EU is already illegal.

But this new legislation would close what many see as a glaring loophole by allowing criminal charges to be brought against EU citizens buying organs outside the block.

Under the proposals, medical staff assisting with any operation could also be prosecuted, but many feel at the root of the problem is the shortage of organs for transplant in Europe.

They would like to see the whole of the EU follow the example of countries like Belgium and Spain where patients have to actively opt out and say they don't want to donate their organs after death, otherwise consent is presumed.

Campaigners say this system would make far more organs available.

The EU's governments have the final say on the proposed legislation, but in the meantime the campaign to better serve the thousands of people waiting for organs goes on.