EU agriculture ministers representing 12 countries, including Austria, France, Italy, and others, have formed a coalition to advocate for a review of the cultivated meat regulatory approval framework.

Their concerns stem from potential impacts on local economies, public health, and farmers and a desire to prevent consumer confusion with natural animal products. The ministers' argument is based primarily on a study by UC Davis, which claims that cultivated meat utilizes fetal bovine serum (FBS) and would adversely affect animal welfare. 

Currently, any cell-based meat products that intend to be sold in EU countries must pass through the stringent EU’s novel food framework, which takes at least 18 months and requires extensive evidence-based assessment of product safety and nutritional value. 

Analyst QuickTake : The cultivated meat space in the EU is already trailing compared to the US , UK , and Israel and will be pushed back further if these discussions result in a tighter regulatory environment. Despite studies advocating the benefits of cultivated meat and companies actively pursuing serum-free production methods, the coalition's claims highlight EU legislative bodies’ aversion to cultivated meats.