BRUSSELS, July 24 (Xinhua) -- The European Union(EU) agreed on Monday in Brussels to continue funding human embryonic stem cell research, although new EU rules prevent human cloning and destroying embryos.

    The 25-member bloc made the decision a week after President George W. Bush angered the research community by vetoing an expansion in federal funding for stem cell science in the United States.

    Germany had led a coalition of eight mostly Roman Catholic countries that sought to bar any EU funding for human stem-cell research, but agreed to the compromise even though it only clarifies current practice, much to the relief of industry.

    The deal paved the way for the adoption of the EU's 55.6-billion-euro (around 70.16 billion US dollars) seven-year science program aimed at narrowing the research gap with the United States and spurring economic growth.

    EU president Finland said the compromise would ban allocating EU cash for research that involves destroying human embryos, including for the procurement of stem cells.

    Extracting the human embryonic stem cells entails destroying the embryo, a step churches and some ethics campaigners say is tantamount to murder.

    But EU ministers agreed after hours of haggling that the EU could fund research into "subsequent steps" involving human embryonic stem cells discarded by fertility clinics.

    Scientists say the research is needed to tackle diabetes and diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

    "We took a little bit of a risk when we decided to organize this extraordinary meeting today but I am pleased to say that risk paid off," Finnish Industry Minister Mauri Pekkarinen said.

    Poland, Austria, Lithuania, Malta and Slovakia opposed the final agreement, but Italy and Germany switched sides, creating a sufficient majority for the deal.

    EU Research Commissioner Janez Potocnik said the agreement clarified existing rules and would have little impact on projects approved, most of which would continue to involve adult stem cells.

    Most EU countries, including France, Britain, Portugal, Spain, Belgium and Sweden support such research.

    Stem cells can turn themselves into any other type of cell in the body, and can be taken from embryos or adults to develop drugs or repair parts of the body. Enditem