They are circulated on the Internet since a while. They are issued by animal activists, even by renowned artists. Petitions against all kinds of animal experiments are ringing the bell: Europe may go backwards, animal experiments could be allowed again. What is the situation? CosmeticOBS-L’Observatoire des Cosmétiques investigates.
March
30,
2011
Just as a reminder:
Since 2003, European regulations on cosmetics have enforced the principle of progressively prohibiting animal testing.
Several steps are already mandatory:
• Since September 11, 2004 : animal testing is forbidden on finished cosmetic products, i.e. those that are sold to users.
•
Since March 11, 2009
: animal testing is prohibited on cosmetic products, the final formulation, ingredients or combinations of ingredients, except for tests concerning repeated-dose toxicity, reproductive toxicity and toxicokinetics.
These last ones are allowed until March 11, 2013.
What are the alternatives?
This prohibition relies on ethical reasons as well as the full regards to the welfare requirements of animals, as stated in the Protocol on protection and welfare of animals annexed to the Treaty but also on scientific arguments as it seems possible to switch from animal tests to alternative methods.
A plan is set on the European level to push for and validate these alternative methods, the European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (ECVAM) being the main agent.
A Herculean task whose the first two steps have been enforced without a hitch. However, the third deadline is at stake.
It is likely, and for once 100% …
