Yesterday we joined GAIA (our Belgian associate member), Animal Rights Belgium, PETA and MEPs in Brussels to call for an end to animal testing in Europe and gather vital signatures for our European Citizens’ Initiative.

Our thanks especially go to MEPs Caroline Roose, Anja Hazekamp, Manuela Ripa, Michal Wiezik and Martin Buschmann for their support.

The event has attracted widespread media coverage across Belgium, including The Brussels Times, Bruzz, HLN, Le Soir, and broadcasters BX1.

Despite huge public support for the bans on testing cosmetics on animals – which shows that 74% of adults in EU member states agree that animal testing for cosmetic products and their ingredients is unacceptable in all circumstances – the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), supported by the European Commission, continues to demand new tests on animals for chemicals used as cosmetics ingredients under chemicals legislation.

This means that many thousands of animals will once again be suffering and dying for the sake of beauty, even for ingredients used exclusively in cosmetics.

>Our ECI, launched in collaboration with cruelty free brands such as Dove and The Body Shop, and over 100 animal protection organisations across Europe, calls for the EU to strengthen and protect the bans on cosmetics testing.

Our Director of Government & Regulatory Affairs, Kerry Postlewhite, said: “Together we can end animal testing in Europe – but time is running out. We need to reach one million signatures by the end of August and if we don’t tell the European Commission to take action now, millions more animals could continue to suffer and die. More and more animal testing is being required by regulators for ingredients in cosmetics, against the wishes of European consumers and cosmetics brands. But we can all stand up and say that we want our bans back and we want them strengthened. We have the power!”

If you are an EU national, you can help us end animal testing for good by signing to save animals at www.savecrueltyfree.eu.