Tuesday 11 March marks the twelfth anniversary of the coming into force of the EU law preventing the sale of all cosmetic products tested on animals – but we are not celebrating. 

The 2013 ban, through the Cosmetic Products Regulation (CPR), has been undermined by the way EU institutions have chosen to implement it alongside other key regulations, with their approach endorsed by a surprising 2023 ruling in the lower European Court. The result is that animals are still suffering and dying in the name of beauty. 

Despite huge public support for the ban, cruel animal tests continue to be required by European authorities, including on ingredients used solely in cosmetics. This includes products such as make-up, shampoo, moisturiser, soap, perfume, and toothpaste. 

Now, the European Commission has launched a call for evidence, which is open until 21 March, as a first step in an evaluation of the CPR and whether it is fit for purpose. 

The results of this call for evidence, and a future public consultation, could inform the scope of a potential revision of the CPR, which has been scheduled for mid-2026. 

The November 2023 case at the General Court (the first level of the European Court of Justice) concluded in a ruling which forced German cosmetics manufacturer  Symrise AG to conduct animal testing  on two previously-approved ingredients used exclusively in sunscreens. 

This underlines why the opportunity must be taken to further bolster the CPR – not only is this regulation a key measure within the EU to prevent tests on animals for the sake of cosmetics, the EU bans have been the guiding-star for similar bans all over the world. 

Over 1.2 million people demanded the protection and strengthening of the EU ban on animal testing for cosmetics by signing the ‘Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics’ European Citizens’ Initiative, which was launched in August 2021 by a coalition of European animal protection groups including Cruelty Free International. 

In response, the European Commission committed to plan the full replacement of animal testing for managing the safety of all chemicals (including cosmetics) in the European Union. However, they failed to address the conflict between the cosmetics testing bans and Europe’s main chemicals law, REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals). 

Our Chief Executive, Michelle Thew, said: “It is shocking that we are still having to fight on behalf of animals in laboratories 12 years on from the ban on the sale of all cosmetics products tested on animals. Even more distressing is the fact that more and more animal testing is being required by regulators for ingredients in cosmetics, against the wishes of European consumers and cosmetics brands. 

“We welcomed the promise of a roadmap to end animal testing for chemicals, but the failure to even properly implement existing laws is very concerning and does not bode well for the extension and strengthening of animal testing restrictions. Instead of positive steps forward, these changes risk taking us backwards again, just as we thought that animal testing for cosmetics would become a thing of the past. We demand change in regulatory toxicity testing and research. It is high time for Europe to evolve past cruel and outdated animal testing.”