A heated debate over whether stem cell research conflicts with Europe’s religious and ethical values has threatened to overshadow the European Union’s efforts to regain worldwide leadership in the field of research.

A group of mostly Catholic members of the European parliament has been trying to force through an amendment that would prevent any of the EU research budget, worth about €50bn ($63bn, £34bn) for 2007 to 2013, from being used to fund stem cell experiments.