Human blood and blood components: quality and safety for the collection, testing, processing, storage and distribution

The Commission is in favour of the eight amendments to the Common Position voted by the European Parliament. These amendments aim to: - introduce a definition of 'inspection'; - require haemovigilance data be maintained for at least 30 years (the Commission finds this acceptable even though onerous. A less onerous but also effective alternative could be to limit the application of the 30-year time period only to traceability data (a major component of haemovigilance data); - require Member States to report on voluntary unpaid donations to the Commission every three years; - require that blood-donation testing is conducted in line with procedures reflecting best practices as defined, reviewed and updated in consultation with experts; - provide for meetings of the Commission with delegations of experts; - provide that voluntary unpaid donations ensure a high level of health protection; - oblige an examination of donors; - present a definition of 'haemovigilance'.�