EU institutions agree new lab rules but measures fall short of robust animal protection

10 December 2009

As the new Directive on animal testing has progressed through the European Parliament, Animal Defenders International (ADI) has lobbied hard to push for the best possible protection for lab animals.

However, decisions made by key European institutions on 7 December 2009 bitterly disappointed ADI as so many compromises to animal protection had been made under the Directive to placate an industry that refuses to be regulated.

In a meeting of the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers, the proposals under the new Directive on the protection of animals used in scientific procedures were finally agreed. The dossier of rules is expected to be formally adopted by Council of Ministers and European Parliament next year. The new Directive was proposed to replace the outdated EC Directive 86/609/EC.

Bold steps watered down

The original Commission proposals, which were revealed in November 2008, contained some bold steps forward but sadly many of these have been watered down by the European Council and the European Parliament.

ADI welcomed the measures to implement thematic reviews of areas of animal research to speed-up the use and development of alternatives. However, the European Parliament voted for an amendment to hold biannual reviews but unfortunately the outcome of the negotiations concluded on a much weaker position: it is now down to the Commission to decide whenever to hold reviews.

To the astonishment of many MEPs, the Council proposed to stop Member States from going further than the Directive in the protection of animals. The legality of such a provision is in doubt and it is not clear at this stage whether it will be part of the final text....

Source: EU institutions agree new lab rules but measures fall short of robust animal protection

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