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On 7 November a compromise deal on the seventh amendment to the EU Cosmetics Directive was reached between the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers. The end result is not fully what we wanted, but the Parliament managed to do much better in the conciliation procedure than the Council.
Although the Parliament was able to maintain most of their - and our - demands, it is extremely disappointing that the date of the sales ban (ten years after the Directive comes into force) on new animal-tested cosmetics can be extended for three animal tests by the Commission if alternative non-animal methods are not available. This means we have not succeeded in getting a complete marketing ban from a fixed date - at least for these three tests.
However there are improvements on the current legislation. What was agreed is:
- An immediate sales ban on new cosmetics tested on animals where alternative test methods have been validated in the EU (there are currently three).
- A complete sales ban on new animal-tested cosmetics six years after the Directive comes into force - i.e from 2009. This date applies to the use of all other animal tests apart from the three that are exempt, and cannot be extended.
- A sales ban on new animal-tested cosmetics in relation to tests for repeated-dose toxicity, reproductive toxicity and toxicokinetics ten years after the Directive comes into force - i.e from 2013. If any of these tests are not validated by then, the Commission shall put forward a legislative proposal to extend the date.
- A complete ban on all animal testing for cosmetics six years after the Directive comes into force - i.e from 2009 (including the three tests).
The Commission is to set up timetables including deadlines for the phasing-out of the different tests and produce a yearly progress report to the European Parliament and the Council. The final result is expected to be adopted in January 2003.
If you would like more background information on this campaign please visit:
http://www.rspca.org.uk/cosmetics
You can also add your voice to the petition in our lab dogs campaign, calling for greater commitment to replace the use of animals in experiments, at:
http://www.rspca.org.uk/labdogs
Although the Parliament was able to maintain most of their - and our - demands, it is extremely disappointing that the date of the sales ban (ten years after the Directive comes into force) on new animal-tested cosmetics can be extended for three animal tests by the Commission if alternative non-animal methods are not available. This means we have not succeeded in getting a complete marketing ban from a fixed date - at least for these three tests.
However there are improvements on the current legislation. What was agreed is:
- An immediate sales ban on new cosmetics tested on animals where alternative test methods have been validated in the EU (there are currently three).
- A complete sales ban on new animal-tested cosmetics six years after the Directive comes into force - i.e from 2009. This date applies to the use of all other animal tests apart from the three that are exempt, and cannot be extended.
- A sales ban on new animal-tested cosmetics in relation to tests for repeated-dose toxicity, reproductive toxicity and toxicokinetics ten years after the Directive comes into force - i.e from 2013. If any of these tests are not validated by then, the Commission shall put forward a legislative proposal to extend the date.
- A complete ban on all animal testing for cosmetics six years after the Directive comes into force - i.e from 2009 (including the three tests).
The Commission is to set up timetables including deadlines for the phasing-out of the different tests and produce a yearly progress report to the European Parliament and the Council. The final result is expected to be adopted in January 2003.
If you would like more background information on this campaign please visit:
http://www.rspca.org.uk/cosmetics
You can also add your voice to the petition in our lab dogs campaign, calling for greater commitment to replace the use of animals in experiments, at:
http://www.rspca.org.uk/labdogs
