Unity in diversity: can there ever be a true European consensus in bioethics?

This article, taken from a presentation to the 2011 European Association of Centres of Medical Ethics (EACME) annual conference, draws on both national legislation in European states and the Conventions of the Council of Europe as well as EU instruments such the Opinions of the European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies (EGE) and the Charter of Fundamental Rights to examine the current state of national and regional diversity in approaches to key bioethics issues and examines its evolution with reference to debates surrounding the development of key pieces of EU legislation and Council of Europe policy with bioethical implications. The relationship between the EU's genesis as a primarily economic and commercial governance entity--with its accompanying emphasis on the harmonization of technical standards--and its approach to diversity in national bioethical perspectives is also examined. Conclusions are drawn as to the relative success and desirability of the European consensus process in bioethics.