A joint statement released today by Cruelty Free Europe and Cefic, the European Chemical Industry Council, is calling on the European Commission to measure the impact legislation generated by its Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability will have on animals in laboratories and to put plans in place to use modern animal-free science to ensure achievement of better environmental and health protection.

Cefic, which represents chemical companies across Europe, is urging the Commission to work with industry to enable much greater use of non-animal methods for chemical safety and an uptick in their development and validation.

The statement reads: “The Chemicals Strategy is a key part of delivering the EU’s Green Deal goal of a toxic-free environment, but fails to demonstrate to Europe’s citizens how it will do so whilst promoting alternative methods, ensuring that animal testing is only used as a last resort, and ultimately replacing animal testing.  

“Animal testing can be unreliable, slow and costly. Continued reliance on animal tests rather than cutting-edge scientific advances holds back achievement of the aims of the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability and the goals of the EU Green Deal to better protect people and the environment from exposure to hazardous chemicals and encourage the development of safe and sustainable alternatives.”

MEP Maria Spyraki (EPP, EL) expressed her disappointment that Parliament’s requests had not yet been heard: “The Strategy lacks any commitment to increase funding to develop non-animal approaches for chemical safety evaluation and lacks measures to ensure the European Chemicals Agency has a mandate to promote non-animal approaches and dedicated resources to do so.”

MEP Tilly Metz (Greens, LU) added that “the paradigm shift that the Chemicals Strategy is announcing is not happening when it comes to animal welfare.”

Our CEO, Dr Katy Taylor said: “Major revisions of laws don’t come along that often – this is a huge opportunity for the European Commission and the European Chemicals Agency to lead a step-change in how we regulate chemical safety and to move away from animal tests. I am happy to work with industry and MEPs from all parties to make this happen.”

A 2020 poll conducted by Savanta Com Res for Cruelty Free Europe shows the EU public favour the use of animal-free methods for the safety assessment of products and substances with 70% of adults agreeing that replacing animal tests with non-animal methods should be an EU priority.