Brussels, 15/02/2002 (Agence Europe) - The Council has formally endorsed its common position on the directive introducing a formal ban on testing cosmetics on animals (amending directive 76/769/EEC on the marketing of dangerous substances and preparations). They formally adopted the directive without debate following the consolidation of the political agreement reached in November by qualified majority voting at the Consumer Council (Austria voted against; Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark abstained since no deadline has been set for the ban (see EUROPE of 26/27 November, p.10)).
The common position foresees a) the obligation to change to alternative research methods for testing finished products and their ingredients away from animal testing; b) a ban on animal testing for the development of cosmetics when alternative methods exist that have been authorised by the OECD; c) a ban on -marketing cosmetics tested on animals if alternatives exist that have been authorised globally; d) correct information for the consumer; e) the obligation on the Commission to draw up a list of substitution methods authorised by the OECD no later than 18 months after the directive comes into force; and f) the upcoming amendment of Directive 86/609/EEC on animal experiments for experimental or scientific ends (animals used for experimental ends for cosmetics products only make up 0.3% of the animals used for testing by the chemical industry, or 30,000 out of a total of nearly 10 million animals).
The text of the common position will now be sent to the Parliament which will give its opinion in second reading. In the first reading, the EP called for all animal testing of cosmetics to be banned in 2005.