Non-animal vivisection methods hindered by Brussels red tape
European hold-ups and bureaucracy have prevented new non-animal methods appearing on the official guidelines of methods for testing the safety of chemicals, adopted today by the European Commission on the eve of the pre-registration phase for REACH, the new European law about the safety of chemicals.
The Commission Regulation , which contains the list of historically approved methods, does not include non-animal techniques that were approved for scientific validity last year by the European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (ECVAM) – itself part of the EU. The incomplete Commission list may encourage the unnecessary and unlawful use of animals.
Although REACH and other European legislation make it clear that scientifically validated non-animal methods not on the approved list should be used instead, there is a real danger that companies will defer to those methods that are specifically listed by the Commission.
The unacceptable delay from the Commission was strongly criticised by MEPs. Parliament’s approval of the Regulation was given only on the condition that the Commission agrees to accelerate its procedures .
The pre-registration phase of REACH begins this Sunday, 1 June 2008. REACH will require the generation of extensive safety data for approximately 30,000 chemicals across Europe.
The mammoth legislation took five years to be finalised and was the subject of constant lobbying from the BUAV, its sister organisations within the European Coalition to End Animal Experiments (ECEAE), and other animal protection groups and MEPs. As well as a number of key concessions, we secured a commitment at the heart of the legislation that animal tests should be considered as an absolute last resort – and the formal recognition of new non-animal methods should happen “as soon as possible”.
BUAV Chief Executive, Michelle Thew, says:
“It is simply inexcusable that Brussels bureaucracy is obstructing the rapid take-up of exciting new non-animal technologies in European laboratories. The Commission has said it will look at how to slash the red tape and listing new technologies as quickly as possible. That’s what the law requires them to do and we are pleased that the Parliament has held the Commission to account.
“We fought to ensure that protecting animals from unnecessary pain and suffering was central to the final REACH text. Despite this, REACH is still expected to result in millions of animals bring used, and we will continue to fight to ensure the correct implementation of REACH and bring these numbers down.
“But if animals are - unlawfully - suffering at the hands of red tape and overzealous procedure, that is an outrage.”
NOTES
The BUAV has been campaigning for over 100 years to achieve a world where nobody wants or believes we need to experiment on animals. We are committed to achieving our aims through reliable and reasoned evidence-based debate. We are proudly non-violent and respect the quality of life for all – animals and people.
For more information contact the press office on
07850 510 955 / 020 7700 4888 or dave.powell@buav.org