Framing and legitimating EU legal regulation of human gene-editing technologies: key facets and functions of an imaginary

ABSTRACT Gene-editing technologies, ie those able to make changes in the DNA of an organism, are object global competition and a regulatory race between countries regions. There is attempt craft legal frameworks protective enough for users, but flexible developers gene-editing technologies. This article examines imaginary built into framing EU-level regulation human technologies identifies its three key related facets: tension around naturalness; safeguarding morality ethics; pursuit medical objectives protection health. Concerns use relation eugenics enhancement have produced multifaceted imaginary. We argue that this not only places limit on regulation, despite strong EU competence respect internal market, also seeks ensure legitimation.