This paper studies the role of ideas in EU governance of embryo research. It focuses on the articulation between scientific and ethical arguments. The interplay between both types of knowledge follows the politicization of bioethics at EU level. One powerful strategy developed since the early stages of emerging policy problems is the construction of issue meaning(s). The question is: “How and why do European actors emphasize one kind of expertise over the other when they struggle about the definition of embryo research?” This paper analyzes the framing practices of both the European Group on Ethics – a technical-look-like expert –, and faith-based organizations – so-called experts in humanity. We proceed to a discourse analysis of the argumentation developed by the EGE and a sample of five European confessional organizations. In contrast to our expectations, both actors use a mixed rhetorical framework; none has the monopoly on scientific or ethical claims.
