Written question – Genetic modification in the context of the ‘dire wolf’ project – E-001687/2025

Question for written answer  E-001687/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Bert-Jan Ruissen (ECR)

Recently, US company Colossal Biosciences[1] announced that it has de-extincted the ‘dire wolf’. Through genetic modification, 20 characteristics of the dire wolf have been inserted into the DNA of a grey wolf.[2][3]

• 1.What is the Commission’s take on the ethical appropriateness of this project, particularly in terms of animal welfare and the potential implications for nature?
• 2.Which EU legislation does the Commission consider to be applicable to this type of project, especially in relation to the carrying out genetic modifications on EU territory or the release or migration of genetically modified animal species that have been ‘de-extincted’ outside the EU?
• 3.Does the applicable EU legislation explicitly preclude (i) animals from being genetically modified with a view to bringing lost species back to life and (ii) genetically modified animal species from being introduced on EU territory? If this is not the case, is the Commission willing to put forward a proposal to make this explicit?

Submitted: 28.4.2025

• [1] https://colossal.com/the-return-of-the-dire-wolf/
• [2] https://time.com/7274542/colossal-dire-wolf/
• [3] https://edition.cnn.com/2025/04/07/science/dire-wolf-de-extinction-cloning-colossal/index.html