We call for EU to end animal testing for all final products
We submit our suggestion to add no animal testing clause to EU consumer safety rules
We have submitted a recommendation to the European Commission for its current assessment of the General Product Safety Directive (GPSD), a law which protects European consumers by ensuring that only safe goods are sold on the EU market.
We think the revision of the GPSD is an opportunity to demonstrate commitment to animal welfare, and eliminate the animal testing of any final product in Europe.
EU citizens have made their opposition to animal testing, and especially to the testing of non-essential products on animals, very clear. In a poll carried out by Savanta ComRes for Cruelty Free Europe in June 2020, 76% of adults agree that animal tests for household cleaning products should be banned in the EU and 66% agree that the EU should immediately end all animal tests.
Our proposed amendment to the directive suggests it would be appropriate to reflect both public opinion and common industry practice by ensuring that animal testing of any ‘final product’ is not permitted.
Dr Katy Taylor, Director of Science at Cruelty Free Europe, says: “We appreciate the need for horizontal legislation to ensure the safety of all consumer products not covered by other legislation. We see the importance of ensuring that this legislation covers new and emerging technologies including Artificial Intelligence products and products that might look like food. This EU directive should reflect both public opinion and common industry practice by guaranteeing that the animal testing of any such product will no longer be allowed in Europe.”
Our suggestion for the animal testing clause:
"This EU directive should reflect both public opinion and common industry practice by guaranteeing that the animal testing of any such product will no longer be allowed in Europe." Dr Katy Taylor
- When assessing the safety of their products, producers may not carry out or commission any tests on animals after the coming into force of this Directive.
- In order to demonstrate the safety of their products for the Community market, producers and importers may not rely on data from animal tests generated after the coming into force of this Directive, irrespective of where the animal tests are carried out, whom by, the purpose for which they are carried out or the legislation or regulatory regime under which they are carried out.
- For the avoidance of any doubt, a producer or importer relies on data from animal tests even if the data confirms the safety of a product.
- Producers and importers may not market in the Community products which have been tested on animals after the coming into force of this Directive, irrespective of where the animal tests are carried out, whom by, the purpose for which they are carried out or the legislation or regulatory regime under which they are carried out.