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Jo Jo70
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This is for everyone who made the effort to make their views known by emailing their MEP's. It's the very best result we could have hoped for!
On 4 October, the European Parliament's Environment Committee endorsed a number of amendments that promise to significantly reduce the amount of animal testing that is carried out under REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals). This progress may still be undone along the way to a full vote by the European Parliament, but for now, the Committee has decided on the following:
• Only non-animal test methods will be required to evaluate potential health and environmental hazards of chemicals produced or imported into the EU in volumes up to 100 tonnes (which represent 83 per cent of the 30,000 substances to be covered under REACH). The non-animal testing strategy endorsed by the Environment Committee is outlined here.
• Animal tests must be automatically replaced as soon as non-animal methods become available.
• Part of the fee that companies will have to pay to register their chemicals in the EU will be used to fund further non-animal test method development.
• Companies will be required to make available all existing animal test data they possess or risk forfeiting the ability to register their chemical(s) in Europe.
• Companies will be required to file testing proposals for external expert review prior to carrying out animal tests under REACH.
Many thanks to everyone who responded to the action alert requested by MEP Caroline Lucas. Your thoughtful letters and e-mails really made an impression on members of the Environment Committee.
Your help may be needed again for the full European Parliament vote on the REACH legislation in November, so please keep an eye on our Web site!
Just goes to show that it is possible to make a difference.
On 4 October, the European Parliament's Environment Committee endorsed a number of amendments that promise to significantly reduce the amount of animal testing that is carried out under REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals). This progress may still be undone along the way to a full vote by the European Parliament, but for now, the Committee has decided on the following:
• Only non-animal test methods will be required to evaluate potential health and environmental hazards of chemicals produced or imported into the EU in volumes up to 100 tonnes (which represent 83 per cent of the 30,000 substances to be covered under REACH). The non-animal testing strategy endorsed by the Environment Committee is outlined here.
• Animal tests must be automatically replaced as soon as non-animal methods become available.
• Part of the fee that companies will have to pay to register their chemicals in the EU will be used to fund further non-animal test method development.
• Companies will be required to make available all existing animal test data they possess or risk forfeiting the ability to register their chemical(s) in Europe.
• Companies will be required to file testing proposals for external expert review prior to carrying out animal tests under REACH.
Many thanks to everyone who responded to the action alert requested by MEP Caroline Lucas. Your thoughtful letters and e-mails really made an impression on members of the Environment Committee.
Your help may be needed again for the full European Parliament vote on the REACH legislation in November, so please keep an eye on our Web site!
Just goes to show that it is possible to make a difference.
