Brussels, 06/09/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 8 September in Strasbourg, barring any unforeseen circumstances, the European Parliament is expected to give its approval to the Council's position on strengthening legislation for protecting animals used in scientific experiments (EUROPE 10152). The Greens/EFA submitted three amendments modifying the bitterly negotiated compromise between the EP and the Council but these amendments are expected to be rejected during the plenary vote. The adoption of the report by Elisabeth Jeggle (EPP, Germany) on this dossier will pave the way to the formal adoption of the new directive, which aims to strengthen animal protection, whilst allowing research to continue to play an essential role in the battle against disease.
The rapporteur Jeggle informed EUROPE that “the compromise text is a balanced compromise that strengthens animal welfare across all 27 EU member states while allowing vitally important research, including basic research, to continue in Europe. After two years of hard negotiations, I am hopeful that the compromise text will be adopted with a large majority”. EU countries have two years to comply with the new directive. It will apply to vertebrate animals, including autonomous forms of larvae and mammal foetuses in the final stages of their normal development, as well as cephalopods (squid, for example).
Animal experiments will now have to be subject to systematic and prior evaluation. Member states will also have to ensure that animal breeders, providers and users are approved by the competent authority and registered by it.
Conserving and using non-human primates for scientific experiments will also be subject to strict restrictions. Experiments on large monkeys such as chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans will be banned. A member state will, nonetheless, in exceptional circumstances, be authorised to use large monkeys if it has valid reasons for suggesting that it is indispensable for the survival of the species or because of an unexpected clinical infection among humans that is dangerous or potentially fatal.
Apart from a few rare exceptions, experiments on animals that are captured in the wild will not be allowed. The directive demands that experiments on non-human primates are gradually phased out unless they are from animals raised in captivity or in animal colonies without any external substitutes. Provisions are also planned stipulating that member states will have to ensure that a minimum of pain, suffering and anxiety is caused to slaughtered animals. Finally, procedures will be classified according to the level of pain and suffering that an animal is likely to endure during experiments.
In a press release from the Council, the latter explains that this new directive represents a step towards achieving the ultimate objective of completely replacing experiments on living animals as soon as possible in the scientific arena. Nonetheless, according to the experts, the current level of scientific know-how precludes the complete eradication of animal experiments. Almost 12,000 animals are used for animal experiments in the EU every year.
Displeased with the agreement reached between the Council and the EP, the Greens/EFA submitted amendments that were particularly aimed at guaranteeing that animal experiments are not authorised if an alternative method exists (which does not use animals), no matter what kind of experiment is being carried out. The Greens/EFA have criticised experiments on non-human primates. A source close to the Greens/EFA stated that the group did not believe that these amendments would go through because it was clear that the majority would be in the vote. (L.C./transl.fl)