Conflict looms over ban on animal testing

Date: 05/12/1996

A PLANNED ban on testing cosmetic ingredients on animals would be delayed for at least two years under proposals being finalised by the European Commission.

But it intends to stick to its original schedule for stopping animal testing of finished cosmetic products from the beginning of 1998.

The end-of-year deadline for a decision on the ban has, however, been thrown into doubt by intense lobbying from activists. Meanwhile, the Commission has been advised by its legal service that it risks possible conflict with the EU's major trading partners if it goes ahead with a boycott of cosmetics tested on animals.

Already threatened with retaliation by the US and others if it vetoes imports of furs caught using leghold traps, the Commission wants to avoid similar trouble in the massive cosmetics market. A ban on finished cosmetic products tested on animals could prevent some of the world's largest cosmetic firms from marketing their goods in the EU.

Under a directive agreed in 1993, the Union is due to end all testing of both ingredients and finished products on animals from the start of 1998 if alternatives can be found.

Draft Commission proposals would maintain this deadline for finished cosmetic products, but delay the ban on animal testing of ingredients, calling instead for a review by June 2000.

The European Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association (Colipa) claims the campaign against the industry is completely out of proportion to the amount of testing its members actually do. It maintains that testing of cosmetics accounts for just 0.03&percent; of total animal trials.

But the industry is fully aware that it is up against a very strong welfare lobby.

Only last week, The Body Shop supremo Anita Roddick came to Brussels armed with a petition against testing signed by 4 million people.