The European Commission has validated a petition calling for an end to all forms of animal testing. More than 1 million signatures were collected in 22 European countries. The proponents, including GAIA and Animal Rights, will now be invited to a hearing in the European Parliament while the Commission has to review the ban.
The citizens’ initiative, as a petition at European level is called, calls on the Commission to extend the existing restrictions on animal testing for cosmetics and on the marketing of animal-tested products.
The Commission should also present a legislative proposal to phase out all forms of animal testing. A full ban should come into effect before the end of the current mandate – typically in the second half of 2024.
“New cruelty-free technologies”
According to GAIA, the commission has actually validated 1.2 million of the 1.4 million signatures collected, meaning they comply with the prescribed procedure. This “proves the enthusiasm of the European population for an end to animal testing,” according to GAIA.
The animal rights organization cites that more than 10 million animals undergo laboratory tests in the EU each year, “while new cruelty-free technologies are being developed faster than ever”.
Answer by the end of July
The European Commission now has until July 25, 2023 to formulate its official response to the citizens’ initiative. This will consist of proposing new legislation, taking other non-legislative initiatives, or doing nothing at all.
Source : HLN
