16. Animal test ban
Animal test ban
The European parliament has agreed with EU member states to ban the of animals for cosmetics testing by 2009. Thursday's agreement will also include a ban on the import and marketing of cosmetic products that have used animal experiments in their manufacture. The came after 12 hours of talks which hinged on the of the ban and whether the EU trading bloc would be in of World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules if it tried to ban imports, opening itself to legal challenge. An EU directive on the move has yet to be formally rubber-stamped by the European Parliament and the 15 member states.
Many cosmetics, from hand creams to lipsticks and perfumes, are tested for a wide range of side . Some tests can be done in test tubes, but scientists often use animals to check for dangers such as cancer or allergic reaction. "The ban on animal testing will come force from 2009 and an end to the use of animals in testing of cosmetic products, but without jeopardizing consumer safety," the Danish EU presidency said in a statement. "Alternative ways of testing may be developed in the transition period to replace animal testing," it said.
Danish Environment Minister Hans Christian Schmidt was quoted by Reuters as saying: "The ban on testing of cosmetic products on animals within the EU is in itself a great win for animal welfare. "But to prevent import into the community of products that are tested in third countries, it was also very important that agreement was on the ban on marketing." Schmidt said the period before the ban takes effect should be used by all parties – industry, governments and research institutions – to find alternative testing methods, although those who use particularly difficult tests have until 2013.