n tests sur animaux horreur , mensonge = "aucune' cruauté!

Il n’existe pas de produits non - testés sur animaux
dans le domaine des lessives, produits d’entretien et soins corporel

· Depuis quand pratique-t-on des tests sur animaux ?
· Pourquoi utilise-t-on des tests sur animaux ?
· Est-ce qu’il existe des produits avec lesquels on n’a jamais effectué des
tests sur animaux ?
· Est-ce que les produits Sonett sont testés sur animaux ?
Déjà dès le Moyen Age on trouve des témoignages de tests sur animaux dans la littérature.
Ces expériences avaient pour but de mieux connaître la tolérance aux substances, les
déclencheurs de maladie, l’efficacité des médicaments, le fonctionnement du métabolisme
humain ou certains types de comportement. Les expériences sur le comportement des oies
de Konrad Lorenz sont probablement les plus connues.
Si, pendant de telles expériences les animaux vivent dans leur environnement habituel et
s’ils ne subissent pas de maltraitance, nous ne les critiquons pas. Si cependant pour ces
expériences les animaux vivent dans l’isolement ou souffrent, notre sentiment doit s’y
opposer. D’autant plus qu’on peut se demander si tous les renseignements récoltés sont
transférables à l’homme, comme la science essaie de nous le faire croire.
La fondation pour le soutien de la recherche des méthodes alternatives aux tests sur animaux
(SET à Mayence, Allemagne) a publié une brochure qui indique que de tous les tests sur
animaux effectués en 1990, environ 87% concernaient le diagnostique médical, les thérapies,
les médicaments et les recherches de base ; 10% testaient d’autres matières pour leur
tolérance et leur impact sur l’environnement et environ 2% des produits phytosanitaires.

Condensé de la législation actuelle concernant les tests sur animaux pour les
produits lessiviels, d’entretien et cosmétiques.
La cosmétique décorative :
La loi allemande sur la protection des animaux §7, alinéa 5 interdit depuis 1986 toutes
expériences sur les animaux pour la mise au point des cosmétiques décoratives.
Cependant, les cosmétiques décoratives testés dans d’autres pays européens peuvent être
commercialisés en Allemagne.
Les soins cosmétiques :
Selon le syndicat professionnel des producteurs des soins corporels et de lessives (IKW),
aucun produit fini n’est plus testé sur des animaux en Allemagne depuis 1989. Depuis 1998
ces tests sont même interdits en Allemagne. A partir de 2009 l’Union Européenne prévoit
d’interdire tout test sur animaux pour les produits des soins cosmétiques.
Cependant, les produits testés dans d’autres pays européens peuvent être commercialisés
en Allemagne d’ici là.
Produits lessiviels et d’entretien :
Selon la loi allemande de Mai 1998 sur la protection des animaux, les tests sur animaux
pour la mise au point des produits lessiviels et d’entretien sont interdits.
Les matières premières pour les produits cosmétiques, lessiviels et d’entretien et d’autres
matières premières : Selon le décret sur les produits chimiques et matières dangereuses, et selon d’autres lois
allemandes et directives européennes (Directive 86/609 du Conseil Européen du 24.
Novembre 1986), les fabricants de ces matières sont obligés de fournir un certificat de non
toxicologie pour l’homme et l’environnement, indifféremment de l’origine pétrochimique ou
naturel et indépendamment de l’utilisation future.
Les instituts qui fournissent ces certificats sont obligés d’utiliser des tests sur animaux.
A ce jour seulement quelques méthodes de décèlement sans test sur animaux sont
reconnues comme alternatives scientifiques et sûres.
Prochainement environ 130.000 substances chimiques ’anciennes’ doivent être certifiées
(REACH), ce qui implique des décèlements toxicologiques complexes et des tests sur
animaux.
En France, le décret no ; 87-848 du 19. octobre 1987 et sa modification (décret 2001-464
du 29. Mai 2001 cautionnent les expérimentations sur animaux et leurs donnent un cadre
légal.

Conclusions suite au exigences légales décrites
Selon l’association allemande de la protection des animaux, il n’existe pas une seule matière
qui n’a jamais été testées sur des animaux – même nos aliments de base comme l’eau et le
sel ont été testés sur des animaux. Par conséquent, il n’existe pas un seul produit
cosmétique, lessiviel ou d’entretien qui n’a pas été testés sur des animaux.
Ainsi, toutes listes de produits non-testés sur animaux indiquent que ces produits ne
contiennent pas de matières premières testées après 1979. Ceci implique également que
depuis 1979 ces entreprises ne participent pas au développement positives de matières
chimiques alternatives comme le tensioactif de sucre à 100% biodégradable ou des
émulgents, parce qu’avant chaque mise sur le marché d’un nouveau produit chimique des
tests sur animaux sont obligatoires.
La déclaration d’une institution ou d’une entreprise que ses produits sont ‘non-testés sur
animaux’ affirme que les produits finis n’ont pas été testés, ce qui est interdit de toute façon
en Allemagne pour les produits cosmétiques et lessiviels. Ou cela veut dire qu’à partir d’une
date quelconque les matières premières n’ont pas été testés sur animaux.
La mention ‘non-testé sur animaux’ donne l’impression au consommateur que le produit fini
et ses matières premières n’ont pas été testés sur animaux, ce qui est pour ainsi dire
impossible. Pour cette raison, l’association de certification des producteurs de cosmétiques
naturels (BDIH) recommande de ne pas utiliser la mention ‘non-testé sur animaux’ pour fins
de publicité. A plusieurs reprises cette mention avaient été jugée comme concurrence
déloyale (OLG Frankfurt du 22.12.1988 ; OLG Düsseldorf du 17.5.1990 ; LG Köln du
5.6.1990 ; OLG Stuttgart du 30.4.1999).

La position de Sonett
Même avant 1998, les produits Sonett n’ont jamais été testés sur des animaux. Depuis 1998
ces tests sont de toute façon interdits pour tous les fabricants de produits lessiviel et
d’entretien, conventionnel ou écologique.
Concernant les matières premières aucun fabricant, pour dire vrai, peut affirmer la mention
‘non-testé sur animaux’.
Pour manifester notre opposition contre les tests sur animaux, il nous reste de l’exprimer
clairement envers nos fournisseurs et de soutenir activement de développement de test
alternatif et à décrire objectivement la situation actuelle. Par contre, Sonett ne participe
pas à la mal-information du consommateur averti pour qui la mention ‘non-testé sur
animaux’ suggère une notion inexacte. Sonett 2004
Contact en France: Cornelia Kretschmer, F – 54220 Malzéville,
Tél. / Fax: 0033 (0) 383 21 53 72

28 juin 2007


Un pas en avant dans l'élimination des tests sur animaux



L'Europe vient en effet d'approuver un test mis au point par une filiale de l'Oréal, SkinEthic, pour remplacer les tests sur animaux pour vérifier la compatibilité des substances chimiques avec la peau humaine, en l'occurrence, bien sur, celles utilisées dans les cosmétiques.
Jusqu'à présent, en effet,on mesurait la tendance des cosmétiques à produire des irritations sur la peau sur des animaux essentiellement des lapins, au nombre d'une vingtaine de milles par an.L'Oréal vient de faire approuver en remplacement par le Cevma( Centre Européen pour la Validation de Méthodes Alternatives), un test baptisé Episkin à partir de cellules humaines cultivées in vitro et reproduisant la peau humaine. Le résultat de plus de 25 ans de travaux de recherches.
Il ne résoudra pas tous les cas car si les tests sur les produits finis ont été arrété depuis 1989, il reste ceux sur les substances chimiques qui entrent dans leur composition. Et comme la Directive Reach qui entre en vigueur au Premier Juin prévoit le controle de pas moins de 30 000 substances chimiques dont 10 000 irritantes pour la peau, il etait à prévoir un accroissement des essais sur les peaux d'animaux. Episkin permettra au contraire de ne pas faire subir à des animaux cette recrudescence d'essais.
Seul problème pour les lapins. à la place, ils finiront à la casserole...

L'industrie s'engage à réduire les tests sur animaux[en]

Publié: jeudi 22 juin 2006

Les principales entreprises des secteurs des produits chimiques, des produits pharmaceutiques, de la protection des cultures et des cosmétiques ont adopté un plan d'action visant à réduire les tests sur animaux en trouvant d'autres méthodes grâce à la R&D.

Le partenariat entre la Commission et l'industrie a pour objectif de réduire les essais sur les animaux[en]

Publié: mardi 8 novembre 2005

Les organisations professionnelles représentant les secteurs européens des produits pharmaceutiques, chimiques, cosmétiques et biotechnologiques ont décidé de coopérer sur la recherche visant à promouvoir les alternatives aux essais sur les animaux.
Contexte:


Autres articles

• L'industrie s'engage à réduire les tests sur animaux
  
• La Commission présente de nouvelles méthodes de test réduisant l'expérimentation animale et maintenant la qualité des médicaments
  
• Le Parlement donne son approbation finale à la législation sur les cosmétiques
  
• Réussite de la deuxième réunion de conciliation sur l'interdiction des tests de produits cosmétiques sur les animaux
  
• Echec de la première conciliation sur l'interdiction des tests de produits cosmétiques sur les animaux
  

According to recent statistics, 10.7 million animals are used annually for tests in the EU. More than 50% are used in research, human medicine, dentistry and fundamental biological studies (covered by the current legislation). Sixteen per cent are used in production and quality control of products and devices in human and veterinary medicine and dentistry and 10% for toxicology and other safety evaluation.
An EU directive on the protection of animals used for experimental purposes was passed in November 1986. Its provisions foresee that, whenever an alternative to an animal experiment exists, it has to be used. It also calls for support to make such alternatives available.
The European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (ECVAM ) has steered the process of making alternative methods available and contributed to replacing a number of animal experiments.

Enjeux:


Industry associations from the European pharmaceuticals, chemicals, cosmetics, biotechnology, soap and detergents, animal health and crop protection sectors have agreed on a European partnership with the Commission to refine, reduce and replace the use of animals in testing - the so-called 3Rs' approach. The aim is to use and apply advanced methodology from biosciences and medicine to develop novel approaches.
This partnership shows that "animal welfare is extremely high on the Commission's agenda," said Commissioner Verheugen. "Certain amount of animal tests is necessary but we must do our possible to keep this testing to the strict minimum and try to to produce modern non-animal approaches for assessing safety," he added.
The 3Rs declaration on the partnership indicates that the Commission and industry will, on the basis of an action programme, identify concrete activities and priorities for the promotion of alternative approaches to animal testing. A stakeholder taskforce will be established shortly to develop an action programme and plan by the first quarter of 2006.
An addendum to the declaration focuses on the next steps for the implementation of the declaration. It indicates that the action programme will be designed "from the perspective of identifying barriers to progress and propose appropriate solutions in order to promote the development, validation, regulatory acceptance and practical implementation of alternative approaches".
The partners will namely cooperate in research by mapping the current R&D activities and strategies and, accordingly, strengthen and enlarge the activities between the partners and other relevant stakeholders. Technical working groups will be established for different priority areas.
Regarding the REACH proposal, as it currently stands, it would lead to an additional 3.9 million annual animal tests. "Reach is not ethically acceptable if it leads to such excessive additional use of animals. I will do everything I can to change the current proposal in this respect," said Commissioner Verheugen.

<H3>Positions:


Günter Verheugen, commissioner responsible for enterprise and industry policy: "The agreement underlines that the EU is in the lead for animal protection. We do not only wish to reduce animal testing, but also want to bring it to an end in the long run. Moreover, alternative testing methods are innovations, which benefit the competitiveness of European industry."
Janez Potočnik, commissioner for science and research: "The agreement with different industry sectors is a major step forward in making validated alternative methods available. We will support the partnership by increasing our efforts to support research, development and evaluation of alternative testing methods under the next EU Research Framework Programme FP7."
Alain Perroy, Director Genreal of European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC): "We strongly welcome the Commission's initiative to establish this partnership, which provides the industry with a friendly and more co-operative way of participating in the regulatory and legislative initiatives in the EU. We are also looking forward to collaborating with our colleagues in other industrial sectors as we have never before had the opportunity to work together in such an integrated manner to accelerate the development of new approaches which continue to address concerns for animal use and facilitate effective assessment of product safety."
Brian Ager, Director General of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) said that "the development of new bioscience technologies such as genomics and proteomics is helping to further progress novel approaches to safety assessment that should, in time, reduce the reliance on animals - this means advantages for animal welfare and also for the progress of European science and industry".
The International Association for Soaps, Detergents and Maintenance Products (A.I.S.E.) "particularly welcomes the strong leadership role being taken by the Commission, which will be critical to the successful management of the different projects undertaken as part of the Action Programme", said Susanne Zänker, General Director of A.I.S.E. in Europe.
The European Cosmetic Toiletry and Perfumery Association (COLIPA) finds that the partnership "will facilitate cross-fertilisation of ideas across industry, as well as dialogue with key stakeholders. We are committed to the eventual elimination of animal testing on the components of our products", said COLIPA's Director General Bertil Heerink.
Johan Vanhemelrijck, Secretary General of the European Association for Bioindustries (EuropaBio) said that "a whole new market is opening up to produce alternatives to animal testing through the use of biotechnology. It will be essential that the development of the basic research carried out by academia and industry is effectively supported and that a fast track approval system be put in place for these products".
</H3>

Reducing animal testing: Commission agrees partnership with industry







Reference: IP/05/1375 Date: 07/11/2005








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Reducing animal testing: Commission agrees partnership with industry


Reducing animal testing is the aim of a new "European partnership to promote alternative approaches to animal testing". Industry associations from the pharmaceuticals, chemicals, cosmetics, and biotechnology sectors and the European Commission have agreed on this partnership on the occasion of the conference on alternative approaches to animal testing “Europe Goes Alternative”, which took place in Brussels today. It was jointly hosted by Commission Vice President Günter Verheugen and Commissioner Janez Potočnik. The development of new methods will not only reduce animal testing, but also increase competitiveness of European industry. The commercially most successful alternative method, which replaces the “rabbit pyrogen test” for bacterial impurities in drugs with a test using human cells, has a world-wide market volume of € 200 million and could save the life of 200,000 rabbits a year (see IP/03/662).
Commissioner Günter Verheugen responsible for enterprise and industry policy said: “The agreement underlines that the EU is in the lead for animal protection. We do not only wish to reduce animal testing, but also want to bring it to an end in the long run. Moreover, alternative testing methods are innovations, which benefit the competitiveness of European industry.”
Commissioner for Science and Research, Janez Potočnik, added: “The agreement with different industry sectors is a major step forward in making validated alternative methods available. We will support the partnership by increasing our efforts to support research, development and evaluation of alternative testing methods under the new Research Framework Programme.”
Industrial trade associations (CEFIC, EFPIA, COLIPA, EuropaBio, ECPA, AISE[1]), and the Commission agreed today on the “3 R’s Declaration”. It establishes a voluntary European partnership aiming at refining, reducing or replacing (3 R’s) animal use. A task force will set up an action programme with concrete activities during the first quarter 2006. It will be designed in the perspective of identifying barriers to progress and propose appropriate solutions in order to promote the development, validation and regulatory acceptance of alternative approaches, as e.g.

• mapping of research activities and current strategies,
  
• cooperation in research
  
• development of alternative approaches, including intelligent testing strategies,
  
• facilitate the validation process by available knowledge
  
• practical mechanisms to facilitate the regulatory acceptance process of alternative approaches.
  

The programme will be reviewed on a regular basis and be made publicly available.
Projects to promote the development of the three R’s under the EU’s Research Framework Programmes include:

• new in vitro tests to replace animal experimentation (with specific opportunities for SMEs)
  
• workshop on business opportunities for in vitro pharmacology and toxicology
  
• assessment of the quality of current test methods
  
• intelligent testing strategies for chemicals.
  

Despite all efforts in Europe about 10.7 million animals are used per year (2002). More than 50% were used in research and development for human medicine, dentistry and in fundamental biology studies, about 16 % in production and quality control of products and devices in human medicine, veterinary medicine and dentistry, and about 10 % for toxicological and other safety evaluation. From this 10 %, about 0.25 % (+/- 2600 animals) was used for toxicological or other safety evaluations of products/substances used or intended to be used mainly as cosmetics or toiletries.
Today, science can increasingly refine, reduce and replace animal tests by cell culture methods, computer models and extrapolations from existing data. The main problem in fully replacing animal tests is that the high safety standards for consumers, workers and patients must not be endangered by changing to new safety assessments. Therefore, animal tests are still needed in the areas of pharmaceuticals, food and feed, chemicals, cosmetics, medical devices, biotechnology etc.
Some human health effects can already today be assessed using replacement methods, i.e. skin corrosion, skin absorption and acute phototoxicity. Other health effects, such as acute systemic toxicity or skin allergy, can now be tested using fewer animals with less severe effects on them.
For more information see the conference web site:
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/events/animal_tests/index_en.htm
More information on EU-funded research to replace animal tests
http://ec.europa.eu/research/press/2004/pr2306en.cfm
and the European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (ECVAM) http://ecvam.jrc.it/index.htm
http://ecvam.jrc.it/index.htm


[1] European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC), European Crop Protection Association (ECPA), EuropaBio, European Cosmetic Toiletry and Perfumery Association (COLIPA), International Association for Soaps, Detergents and Maintenance Product Industry in Europe (A.I.S.E.) as well as the European Federation on Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA)

Günter Verheugen
Vice-President of the European Commission
responsible for Enterprise and Industry
A new partnership to reduce Animal Testing
EP - Conference on Animal Testing
Brussels, 7 November 2005
7 novembre 2005







Reference: SPEECH/05/662 Date: 07/11/2005








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Günter Verheugen


Vice-President of the European Commission
responsible for Enterprise and Industry




A new partnership to reduce Animal Testing























EP - Conference on Animal Testing
Brussels, 7 November 2005

Introduction/Objectives of the Conference
Janez Potočnik and I take great pleasure in welcoming you to the Conference on “Alternative Approaches to Animal Testing”.
We have organized this conference with three important objectives in mind:

• Firstly, we would like to demonstrate that the European Union continues to place animal welfare high on the political agenda with the objective to remain the world leader in animal welfare.
  
• Secondly, our intention is to show progress made in the development of alternative methods to animal tests at the national, European and international level.
  
• Thirdly, we are aiming at identifying further possibilities to improve development and validation of alternative methods.
  

We have invited, and I am delighted to see here present today, quite a number of high-level representatives and experts from industry, animal welfare organisations, academia and national, European as well as international institutions.
Today’s conference will allow you to join us in discussing the challenges and the ways forward in promoting alternative approaches to animal testing. The subject is highly sensitive, very technical and at the same time political, touching on different societal aspects, such as ethics, health, economics and science.
Challenges ahead
The use of animals in experiments has always been a focal point of concern. The importance attached to animal welfare continues to evolve in terms of ethical concerns. This has already become a “cultural attitude for European society”.
Asked whether “scientists should be allowed to experiment on animals if this can help resolve human health problems” respondents in the European Union seem somewhat divided: Although a relative majority, 45 %, appears to be in favour. 34 % indicate that they disagree while, 18 % say that they neither agree nor disagree (EUROBAROMETER 2005).
In Europe, about 11 million animals are used in experiments or for scientific purposes per year. At present, the world-wide use is estimated to be 100-150 million vertebrates per annum.
Roughly 25 % of the tests carried out on animals in Europe can be considered as regulatory testing. These animal tests are performed due to the high safety requirements that we have come to expect in the areas of pharmaceuticals, chemicals, cosmetics, biotechnology, medical devices as well as food and feed. Products and substances of these sectors cannot be placed on the market if they are unsafe.
I can assure you that I am personally committed to animal protection. But as a Member of the European Commission I am also committed to the protection of consumers, workers and patients.
As long as scientists tell me that animal tests are still needed in the various industrial sectors to assess risks to human health, we have to continue our efforts in identifying alternative methods. The challenge, therefore, is not whether we need to carry out these tests. The challenge is whether we can do it also by using alternatives.

REACH
We are currently discussing with the Council and the European Parliament a new legal framework for chemicals – REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemical Substances).
The REACH proposal was triggered by the general lack of information about the dangerous properties of chemicals on the market. More than 99 % of the entire tonnage of such chemicals, the so-called “existing” substances – these are substances placed on the market before 1981 – are not subject to the standard information requirements prescribed for “new” substances.
The testing requirements for so-called new substances – these are substances placed on the market after 1981 – give us a current picture of their dangerous properties. Thus their risks can be reliably assessed when considering the exposure of man and the environment.
For existing substances, however, knowledge about the dangerous properties is generally very limited. Therefore, it is nearly impossible to know whether they represent serious risks for humans and the environment, including animals.
Consequently a substantially improved knowledge of the dangerous properties of such chemicals is necessary. To remedy this knowledge gap, the REACH proposal suggests making available any and all information on the dangerous properties or hazards of substances.
The REACH-system seeks to balance the potentially serious threats to human health and the environment against animal welfare considerations.
Therefore, a number of elements have been developed with a view to keeping animal testing to a minimum:

• Existing information on the toxicity and ecotoxicity of substances, including epidemiological studies, results from computer calculations and international sources, will be taken into account before deciding whether additional testing is necessary;
  
• Substances which are similar may be grouped, where appropriate, in order to minimise testing;
  
• For substances produced or imported in quantities between 1 - 10 tonnes per year and per manufacturer or importer, testing should generally be limited to in vitro methods.
  

Against this background it is not justified to criticize the REACH-proposal because of its possible impact on animal testing. Such criticism ignores the needs for a revision of chemicals legislation to improve protection of human health and the environment as well as the overall efforts to reduce animal testing and to develop alternative methods.

Where have we come from?
The first animal protection movement, the Victoria Street Society, was established in 1875 in London. In time, several other countries founded similar societies utilising different policies to achieve their goals. Some of them emphasised political lobbying, others organised public campaigns and protest demonstrations.
Activities of the animal protection movement have undoubtedly contributed to legislative regulations for protection of animals used for experimental purposes:

• A number of European Member States have prohibited animal testing on their territory.
  
• At the European Union level, the Protocol on Protection and Welfare of Animals, annexed to the EC-Treaty, was adopted in 1999. It aims at ensuring improved protection and respect for the welfare of animals as sentient beings. In formulating and implementing the Community's policies, the Community and the Member States shall pay full regard to the welfare requirements of animals.
  
• In 1986, the Community adopted the Laboratory Animals Directive 86/609/EEC. It integrates the so-called “Three R” approach - Replacement, Reduction and Refinement - into a Community regulatory framework. According to this Directive, alternative methods to animal testing have to be applied where these methods are practically available.
  
• In this regard, the Cosmetics Directive provides the most ambitious approach of all industry sectors. It establishes a prohibition on the testing of finished cosmetic products and cosmetic ingredients on animals (the testing ban), and a prohibition to market, in the European Community, finished cosmetic products and included ingredients which were tested on animals (the marketing ban). The testing and marketing bans apply fully in 2009 and 2013 respectively, irrespective of the availability of non-animal tests.
  
• The development of new alternative testing methods using fewer or no animals is fostered under the Community Framework Programmes for Research and Technological Development. Researchers submitting suitable projects for such methods will be funded from the Programme. My colleague, Janez Potočnik, will expand more on this.
  
• At international level, the harmonisation of test guidelines led to a significant reduction of the number of animals being tested. In 1982, the OECD was the first international organisation to agree harmonised guidelines for the testing of animals. And it is a major success that OECD adopted, for the first time in 2004, alternative methods aimed at replacing animal tests (skin absorption, skin corrosion and phototoxicity).
  

The Way Forward
Although a number of initiatives have been launched promoting alternative methods at national, European, international, public and private level, it will not be possible to fully replace animal testing by alternative methods in the short or medium term without endangering our high safety standards.
Unfortunately the process of developing, validating and legally accepting alternative methods is slow and, to some extent, uncoordinated due to the setting of different priorities in the sectors concerned.
Against this background a coordinated approach might help in our view to overcome obstacles. A coordinated approach would furthermore avoid duplication of work and create positive synergies between industrial sectors, without compromising competitiveness of European industry.
A coordinated approach would finally demonstrate that research in the development of alternatives is not only beneficial for animal welfare but also encourages the development of new markets for these methods.
Alternative methods have the potential to increase the credibility and accuracy of tests as well as the safety of human beings. In fact, sometimes human cell models are better in predicting human health effects than the animal model.
The development and validation of new methods and strategies will also increase competitiveness of European industry. The alternative method developed to replace the so-called rabbit pyrogen test for bacterial impurities in drugs has proved a major commercial success, and has a world-wide market volume of 200 million Euro.

Action
We have explored, together with other stakeholders, and in particular representatives of industry, animal welfare and the European Parliament, various avenues forward that would be both appropriate and pragmatic. A significant outcome from this collaboration was the agreement to set up a “European Partnership to Promote Alternative Approaches to Animal Testing”.
I am very happy that the European Commission and industry representatives will today be able to agree on a declaration and an action programme, including activities and timetables, aimed at refining, reducing and replacing animal use and to apply advanced methodology from biosciences and medicine to develop novel approaches to assessing safety.
It is a significant success that for the first time different industry sectors will cooperate together on these common goals, despite different economic and legal situations, interests and experiences.
Concluding Remarks
Science and Research over the last two decades has moved almost completely away from animal experimentation to alternative approaches. Animal use has more than halved over the last two decades. This development demonstrates that we are on a good track. But let’s try to be more ambitious and promote this development further. The “European Partnership to Promote Alternative Approaches to Animal Testing” shows the way and the right direction.
Thank you for your attention and I hope you will enjoy and profit from the conference.

The partnership will facilitate cross-fertilisation of ideas across industry, as well as dialogue with key stakeholders, the industry associations said. “We are committed to the eventual elimination of animal testing on the components of our products and we have been pioneers in the search for alternative methods for many years”, said Bertil Heerink from Colipa, representing the cosmetics industry. “More and complex scientific challenges are ahead of us all. We have to find ways to create effective synergy. Therefore, we see the partnership as an opportunity to make further progress.”



The partners have committed themselves to the development and publication of the Action Plan by the first quarter of 2006[color=black]. "A whole new market is opening up to produce alternatives to animal testing through the use of biotechnology. It will be essential that the development of the basic research carried out by academia and industry is effectively supported and that a fast track approval system be put in place for these products[color:ac87=black:ac87]," said Johan Vanhemelrijck, Secretary General of EuropaBio, which represents biotechnology industry. "Industry is working hard, together with the Commission, to be in a position to report on progress made by the end of next year.”







November 7 2005

The partnership will facilitate cross-fertilisation of ideas across industry, as well as dialogue with key stakeholders, the industry associations said. “We are committed to the eventual elimination of animal testing on the components of our products and we have been pioneers in the search for alternative methods for many years”, said Bertil Heerink from Colipa, representing the cosmetics industry. “More and complex scientific challenges are ahead of us all. We have to find ways to create effective synergy. Therefore, we see the partnership as an opportunity to make further progress.”

The partners have committed themselves to the development and publication of the Action Plan by the first quarter of 2006. "A whole new market is opening up to produce alternatives to animal testing through the use of biotechnology. It will be essential that the development of the basic research carried out by academia and industry is effectively supported and that a fast track approval system be put in place for these products," said Johan Vanhemelrijck, Secretary General of EuropaBio, which represents biotechnology industry. "Industry is working hard, together with the Commission, to be in a position to report on progress made by the end of next year.”

Ends

7 November 2005

Notes for editors: The “3 Rs declaration” is attached

Organisations supporting the declaration are:

CEFIC ( www.cefic.be )

EFPIA ( www.efpia.org )

Colipa ( www.colipa.com )

EuropaBio ( www.europabio.org )

AISE ( www.aise-net.org )

EPCA ( www.ecpa.be )

IFAH-Europe ( www.ifahsec.org )

L'industrie s'engage à réduire les tests sur animaux[en]

Publié: jeudi 22 juin 2006

Les principales entreprises des secteurs des produits chimiques, des produits pharmaceutiques, de la protection des cultures et des cosmétiques ont adopté un plan d'action visant à réduire les tests sur animaux en trouvant d'autres méthodes grâce à la R&D.
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News: Le partenariat entre la Commission et l'industrie a pour objectif de réduire les essais sur les animaux


Contexte:


The European Partnership for Alternative Approaches to Animal Testing (EPAA ), bringing together the Commission and a number of industry associations, was created in November 2005 in the Europe goes alternative -conference.
In the conference, the Commission and the industry representatives agreed on a 3 Rs Declaration , aiming at replacing, reducing or refining (3 Rs) animal use to assess safety by applying alternative methods enabled by advanced methodologies from biosciences and medicine.

Enjeux:


As a follow-up on the November 2005 3Rs declaration, the EPAA 's major companies in the area of chemicals, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, crop protection and cosmetics committed themselves, on 21 June 2006, to an action programme promoting the replacing, reducing and refining animal use for assessing safety of consumer products.
With this action programme, the different industries are engaged to co-operate on a number of activities in fields such as research, validation of alternative test methods and sharing best practice.
"We know from public opinion surveys that animal rights are very close to the hearts of Europeans. Through research we can develop ways of offering consumers a greater choice of products that have not been tested on animals," said Science and Research Commissioner Janez Potočnik.
At the same occasion, the Commission tabled common-criteria European guidelines for labelling cosmetics as "not tested on animals", when no animal tests have been carried out in product development. The aim is to ensure that labels do not mislead the consumer or lead to unfair competition.