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ALTEX :: Alternatives to Animal Experiments
2000, VOLUME 2
European Commission Bows to WTO Pressure and the Cosmetics Industry
The scandalous news was well wrapped up. The European Commission proudly announced in its press release: "Commission proposes banning animal testing for cosmetics in the EU". However, the proposal for the Seventh Amendment Directive demonstrates that the Commission once again renounced animal welfare aspects.
It is extremely disappointing that the Commission has decided not to implement legislation agreed in 1993 which would have banned the marketing of cosmetic products in the EU that have been tested on animals by 30 June 2000. Even worse the Commission now wants to scrap the marketing ban adopted in the Sixth Amendment of the Cosmetics Directive in 1993 and replace it with a ban on animal testing in the EU. As a result, not the marketing of products tested on animals would be banned but solely the animal experiments performed exclusively for cosmetics purposes within the EU. Cosmetics products and ingredients tested on animals outside the EU could be used and sold within the EU without any restriction. Even EU cosmetics manufacturers could move their testing on animals into third countries and still sell the products in the EU. Therefore it is obvious that the animal testing ban provides a much less effective way to protect animal welfare than a marketing ban. A testing ban is most likely to result merely in animal testing moving to countries outside the EU. Only a ban on the sales of these products in the EU will provide the necessary stimulus for continuing the development of non-animal alternatives for all the necessary toxicological tests.
Even the proposed testing ban would come into force not earlier than within three years after the Seventh Amendment would have been implemented. And even that date could be postponed for two more years if in the Commission's view there has been insufficient progress in developing satisfactory animal free methods.
The Commission claims that the reason for changing the marketing ban into a animal testing ban is that it is not compatible with WTO rules. The WTO was not created to undermine or reverse animal welfare standards. However, that is what is happening not only with animal testing for cosmetics but also where the EU is trying to improve farm animal welfare standards and the protection of wild animals. When WTO rules prevent us from adopting and implementing legislation that reflects what the majority of European citizens want, these rules need to be influenced and challenged.
Additionally the Commission claims that animal testing is important and necessary for human safety. However, the industry can choose from a list of around 8,000 existing ingredients which have already been tested and their safety demonstrated. It is therefore not necessary to allow further animal suffering to produce safe and innovative cosmetics products.
The German Animal Welfare Federation together with Eurogroup for Animal Welfare and the European Coalition to End Animal Experiments will go on fighting for a marketing ban in the EU of cosmetic products tested on animals. WTO regulations and their interpretation need to be tested and if necessary the current WTO rules have to be changed for a balanced relationship between trade liberalisation and the protection of animals.