Decision to delay animal test ban in cosmetics under attack

Date: 10/04/1997

By Simon Coss

MEPs this week attacked the European Commission's decision to postpone a blanket ban on the testing of cosmetic product ingredients on animals for two years.

Opening a debate on the subject during the Parliament's plenary session in Strasbourg, rapporteur Dagmar Roth-Behrendt expressed her disappointment that little progress had been made in the eight years she had been campaigning for the ban.

The German Socialist MEP called on Consumer Affairs Commissioner Emma Bonino to ensure that the ban would not be delayed once again when the new year-2000 deadline expires.

The Commission's committee on adaptations to technical progress, which is made up of experts from the 15 EU member states, announced the postponement at the end of March.

“The Commission proposed extending the deadline because valid and recognised alternative tests have not been developed,” said a Commission spokesman.

But British MEP Ian White said the announcement proved clearly that the Commission led by President Jacques Santer was just as susceptible to heavy lobbying by the powerful cosmetics industry as the previous regime under Jacques Delors had been - and hinted at the possibility of retaliatory action.

“We as a Parliament might look at measures not directly related to these issues and possibly hold them up in order to get our own way in this area,” he suggested, adding: “We should ensure that animals are no longer abused in the interests of commerce.”

Speaking for the European People's Party, British Conservative MEP Caroline Jackson stressed the European cosmetics industry represented 40&percent; of the world market in beauty products.

She said the aim must be to reduce animal testing to zero, but criticised member states for failing to gather the adequate information which would ensure this target could be reached. She also argued that any real solution to the whole issue would have to be found through the World Trade Organisation (WTO) at an international rather than purely European level. “What is the point of having an EU position on this important issue if we cannot do anything about international rules?” she asked.

Responding to the criticisms, Bonino said the Commission was planning to produce a draft directive confirming a ban on testing all but a small number of specified products on animals by 1 January 1998. She said the Commission's first consideration must be to safeguard the health of European citizens and pointed out that the cosmetics sector only accounted for 0.03&percent; of total animal experimentation.

Responding to Jackson's arguments, Bonino conceded the international dimension had to be addressed, but insisted: “We have to accept the WTO exists.”

Animal rights groups have reacted furiously to the delay, with Michel Vandenbosch, of Global Action in the Interest of Animals (GAIA), accusing the Commission of “blocking and sabotaging humane legislation”.