[The Transplantation Law of October 8, 2004]

The Transplantation Law was approved by Parliament on 8 October 2004. Its key features are a ban on trade in human organs, tissue and cells; the non-entitlement of donors of their next of kin to payment for organs; the definition of when death is considered to have occurred; the need for consent before removal takes place; the criteria for donations by living persons; the criteria and procedure for assigning donated organs to recipients; xenotransplantation; and the transplantation of human embryonic and fetal tissue and cells. As things stand at present, the law is expected to take effect at the beginning of 2007. The current fragmented legislation on transplant medicine will therefore be replaced in two years' time by a modern, consistent and comprehensive legal framework.