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European Parliament supports global ban on #CosmeticAnimalTesting

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Today (3 May) MEPs in the European Parliament voted overwhelmingly to adopt a resolution supporting a global ban on cosmetic testing on animals.

Supported by 620 MEPs, the resolution - which is backed by The Body Shop and Cruelty Free International - will guide civil servants and member governments of the European Commission and European Council to advocate an end to animal testing in cosmetics globally to the United Nations.

The resolution follows the fifth anniversary of the EU’s ground-breaking ban on the sale in Europe of new cosmetics products and ingredients tested on animals outside the EU. The bold and progressive move followed earlier EU bans on the testing of cosmetics products on animals in 2003 and of ingredients in 2009. It has since inspired legislation around the world, with subsequent bans in countries including South Korea, New Zealand and India.

Last month Cruelty Free International and The Body Shop celebrated the EU’s landmark leadership and looked towards delivering a worldwide ban on animal testing for cosmetics. A host of celebrities, including Ricky Gervais, Joanna Lumley and Pixie Geldof, alongside nearly 100 policy makers, retailers and animal experts signed a letter addressed to heads of European governments and heads of member state governments calling for Europe to play an active role and to exert its influence to eliminate cosmetic testing on animals globally.

Despite the availability of approved and scientifically more accurate non-animal tests, that are proven as quicker and often cheaper, there are still no laws banning animal tests for cosmetics products and ingredients in 80% of the world.

Michelle Thew, CEO of Cruelty Free International, said: “Tragically, despite the availability of approved non-animal tests and existing ingredients safe for human use, there are still no laws banning animal tests for cosmetics products and ingredients in 80% of the world. We estimate that over half a million animals – from rabbits to mice, rats, guinea pigs, and hamsters – are still used annually in cruel and unnecessary cosmetics testing worldwide. Five years after the full EU bans, the time is right to go one step further. The leadership that MEPs have shown by adopting this resolution deserves much credit. Now it’s time to work together to deliver a global end to cosmetics animal testing and eliminate animal suffering around the world.”

The Body Shop Head of Global Campaigns Jessie Macneil-Brown said: “The Body Shop is pushing hard for a global ban to end cosmetic animal testing everywhere and forever. Our customers  worldwide are hugely supportive of cruelty-free cosmetics and we have gathered more than 5.7 million signatures in just ten months for our Forever Against Animal Testing campaign.

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"The EU ban has demonstrated that it is possible to have a healthy, thriving cosmetics market without the need for animal testing and today’s positive vote will take us a big step closer to an international agreement.”

In 2017 Cruelty Free International and The Body Shop launched a joint campaign to lead the call for an international ban on animal testing in cosmetic products and ingredients, everywhere and forever. With 5.7 million signatures already achieved in ten months – making it the biggest petition ever against animal testing – the campaign has passed the halfway mark towards its target of eight million signatures, when The Body Shop and Cruelty Free International will take it to the UN to call for an international convention to end the practice.

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EU Reporter publishes articles from a variety of outside sources which express a wide range of viewpoints. The positions taken in these articles are not necessarily those of EU Reporter.

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