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EU must act tough on cosmetics tests on animals
June 6, 2002 12:00 AM
In a ping-pong exchange with government ministers from the 15 EU Member States, Euro-MPs will next week [Tuesday 11th June] vote again on tough new measures to cut and eventually ban throughout the EU the use of animals in tests of cosmetic products.
London's Liberal Democrat MEP, Baroness Sarah Ludford, will be pushing hard for the EU to get tough on the use of animals for testing cosmetics:
"I welcome the prospect of a ban forcing not just European cosmetics companies but companies from across the World to embrace alternatives to animal testing if they want to continue selling their products in the large and affluent European marketplace."
Euro-MPs, meeting in Strasbourg, will vote next Wednesday on an immediate EU-wide ban on the sale of new cosmetics that have been tested on animals, where adequate alternative tests exist. They will also vote on a specific date for an eventual ban on the sale anywhere in the EU of any new cosmetics tested on animals, except where new safety fears justify such tests. They will also decide whether, in the interim, all cosmetic products tested on animals should be clearly labelled: 'tested on animals'.
A decision to go ahead with any new EU law would have to be agreed by both the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers, representing the 15 Member States. Whereas Euro-MPs voted in April 2001 for tough measures, the national ministers continue to press for the proposals to be watered down. Euro-MPs look set to reject the weakened proposals sent back to them by the Council of Ministers and vote again for tough new rules.
Sarah Ludford added:
"I am confident that the European Parliament will once again show next week that it listens to those who care strongly about animal welfare and can deliver strong protection."
Testing cosmetics on animals was outlawed in Britain in 1998, and is also illegal in the Netherlands and Austria. Most of the EU's animal tests on cosmetics take place in France and Italy.
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