Single chapter.

Any organisation providing embryo storage for research purposes must hold an authorisation issued by the Agence de la biomédecine.

However, medical biology laboratories authorised in accordance with Article L. 2142-1 may store embryos proposed for research pursuant to 2° of II of Article L. 2141-4 without holding the authorisation referred to in the first paragraph of this Article.

The issue of the authorisation referred to in the same first paragraph is subject to compliance with the fundamental principles set out in Articles 16 to 16-8 of the Civil Code, the ethical principles set out in this Title and in Title I of Book II of Part One of this Code, the rules in force regarding the safety of people working on the site and the provisions applicable to environmental protection, as well as compliance with health safety rules.

In the event of failure to comply with the provisions mentioned in the third paragraph of this article, the Agence de la biomédecine may, at any time, suspend or withdraw the authorisation.

The Agence nationale de sécurité du médicament et des produits de santé is informed of embryo storage activities for research purposes carried out on the same site as activities authorised by it pursuant to article L. 1243-2.

Any organisation wishing to store embryonic stem cells for research purposes must make a declaration to the Agence de la biomédecine prior to such storage. The Director General of the Agence de la biomédecine may at any time suspend or prohibit the storage of embryonic stem cells if such storage is not in accordance with the fundamental principles set out in Articles 16 to 16-8 of the Civil Code, the ethical principles set out in this Title and in Title I of Book II of Part One of this Code, the rules in force concerning the safety of persons working on the site and the provisions applicable to environmental protection, as well as compliance with health safety rules.

The organisations mentioned in the first two paragraphs of this article may only transfer embryos to an organisation holding an authorisation issued pursuant to this article or article L. 2151-5. The organisations mentioned in the penultimate paragraph of this article may only transfer human embryonic stem cells to an organisation that has declared a research protocol in application of article L. 2151-6, where the Agence de la biomédecine has not objected to the implementation of the protocol under the conditions laid down in the same article L. 2151-6. The organisation receiving the transfer of embryonic stem cells shall also make the declaration provided for in the penultimate paragraph of this article. The Agence de la biomédecine shall be informed prior to any transfer.