EU: Environment Commissioner pledges more support for developing alternatives to animal tests

Eurogroup for Animals - Press Release

June 18, 2008

Environment Commissioner pledges more support for developing alternatives to animal tests

Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas has committed to strengthening the role of the European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (ECVAM) to help develop more alternatives to animal testing. The commissioner made the pledge during a talk about the challenges of revising animal experimentation directive EC/86/609 at a working group of the EP Intergroup on the welfare and conservation of animals held at the European Parliament in Strasbourg yesterday.

Mr Dimas said in his speech that the Commission recognised replacing animal testing with alternative methods as a clear priority.

He added: “Regarding validation, the role of ECVAM needs to be strengthened further. This will involve reinforcing ECVAM’s work with added support from other teams at the Joint Research Centre, and developing an integrated testing strategy that will integrate many other complementary activities from the JRC’s Institute for Health and Consumer Protection to make risk assessments more effective. The proposed revision of the Directive 86/609 is intended to channel fresh resources to this important activity.”

Mr Dimas said in his speech he was personally pushing to have the proposal adopted before the summer break. He added the proposal would also include new legislation on the use of non-human primates. MEPs have been calling for their use to be phased out.

Mr Dimas said: “The issues and concerns surrounding the use of non-human primates, and great apes in particular, have been taken very seriously. We are aiming for an exceptionally ambitious proposal in this respect.

Meanwhile MEPs at the meeting are urging him to take things even further. Neil Parish, President of the Parliamentary Intergroup, said: “We want greater targets reducing the number of animals being used for testing.”

Source: Eurogroup for Animals - contact
Author: EU:

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