On Thursday 16 September, the European Parliament called on the European Union to speed up the transition to a research system that no longer uses animals for scientific experiments.
A joint resolution (EPP, S&D, Renew Europe, Greens/EFA, The Left and ECR) on measures to accelerate the transition to innovation without the use of animals in research, regulatory testing and education was adopted in plenary (667 votes in favour, 4 against and 16 abstentions).
MEPs are calling for an action plan setting “deadlines for phasing out the use of animals in research and testing”. They want sufficient medium and long-term funding to ensure the rapid development, confirmation and introduction of new testing methods, including through increased funding under Horizon Europe, the EU’s research and innovation programme.
Animal testing for cosmetics has been banned in the EU since 2009 and the current legislation sets welfare requirements for the animals that are still necessary for science.
However, over 12 million animals (more than 90% of them mice) were still bred and killed in 2017 for research purposes, many of which, for various reasons, were not used in scientific procedures, according to a February 2020 report by the European Commission.
Link to the resolution: https://bit.ly/3zi1Ocr (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)