Restrictions on animal testing: Press release
The European Commission wishes to phase out the use of animals in toxicity testing. This is a major scientific and political step forward, in response to the mobilisation of more than 1.2 million European citizens. While France remains the leading country in the European Union in terms of animal testing, One Voice is calling on the French government to translate this ambition into action without delay.
As the French member of the European Coalition to End Animal Experimentation (ECEAE) and Cruelty Free International, One Voice welcomes this roadmap as the culmination of a long struggle. It follows directly from the European Citizens’ Initiative ‘Save Cruelty-Free Cosmetics’, which gathered more than 1.2 million signatures.
A reality that remains extensive in France
Across the European Union, around 500,000 animal procedures are carried out each year for chemical safety testing. Fish, dogs, rabbits and other animals are force-fed toxic substances for months on end, causing pain, haemorrhages, organ failure and death. A single reproductive toxicity test can involve up to 2,500 animals for a single substance.
In France, the situation remains a cause for concern: according to the latest statistics from the Ministry of Research (2023 data, published in 2025), nearly 2 million animals were used in experiments, with 207,014 of these cases involving regulatory testing alone – accounting for 19.7 per cent of the European total. France has thus been the leading country among the 27 for many years, far ahead of the others.
This persistence contrasts with an unambiguous public opinion: according to an Ipsos/One Voice poll, three out of four French people say they are opposed to animal testing.
A roadmap that still lacks measurable ambition
One Voice notes several concrete steps forward in this roadmap but also has reservations. It sets out no quantified targets for reducing the number of animals, nor any specific timetable. All the Commission’s actions are limited to the period up to 2029, with no medium- or long-term vision accompanied by deadlines. Finally, no specific funding is provided for: the Commission merely lists existing resources, whereas the development of alternative methods requires dedicated and adequate investment.
What One Voice is asking of France
While key pieces of legislation such as the REACH Regulation are currently under review, the implementation of this roadmap will depend largely on the willingness of Member States. One Voice therefore calls on France to draw up a national plan to phase out animal testing, comprising:
- Quantified targets and an ambitious timetable with interim milestones to provide incentives;
- A substantial reallocation of public funding towards the development and validation of non-animal methods;
- Transparency regarding French data on animal testing and the monitoring of indicators.
Such a plan is necessary to ensure that France acts as a driving force, rather than a hindrance, in this scientific and ethical transition, and to join countries already committed to this cause, such as the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
“This roadmap proves that rigorous science without animal suffering is no longer a utopian ideal: the technologies to replace animal testing already exist. While France remains one of the main supporters of animal testing in Europe, this is not an inevitable fate imposed on it; it is a deliberate choice favouring a well-established and lucrative industry, from animal breeding farms right through to laboratories. It is time for France to stop protecting this outdated system, which the French people no longer want.” Muriel Arnal, President of One Voice.
Restrictions on animal testing: Press release
One Voice welcomes the European roadmap for chemical safety assessments without animal testing, but there is still a long way to go