A European project that urgently needs our support
A pilot project by a Member of the European Parliament to promote alternatives to animal testing has just been approved by the Committee on Budgets following a lobbying campaign by One Voice and other partner associations. It still needs to be adopted by the European Parliament in October, and public support is essential for this to happen. Let’s take action!
This is the kind of news we don’t hear often enough. An innovative project by a Member of the European Parliament is overcoming obstacles step by step. It’s a project that could revolutionize laboratory practices, to the great benefit of animals! There is real hope that animal testing will one day be consigned to the history books…
A groundbreaking project
MEP Younous Omarjee is behind this pilot project. It aims to help improve the evaluation and validation of new alternatives to animal testing in the European Union, as well as the use and dissemination of existing alternatives. In particular, it will set up education campaigns and specific training courses for scientists, as well as doctors, veterinarians, and manufacturers involved in animal testing.
One step at a time
The project was initially adopted by the Committee on the Environment, Public Health, and Food Safety (ENVI). It received support from One Voice and other associations, which wrote to MEPs at each stage, particularly members of the Committee on Budgets, who needed to be convinced to vote in favor of it. It was a lot of lobbying work, but it paid off. Although the rapporteur was opposed to the proposal, the mobilization of One Voice and other NGOs, researchers, and public figures ensured that it was adopted by a large majority on September 28. The budget allocated would be €1 million for 2017! It now remains to be voted on by the European Parliament in plenary session in October…
Promise for the future
The importance of adopting this project lies, of course, in the major step it represents towards replacing animal experiments with more effective and ethical alternative scientific methods.
It also comes at a key moment, as Directive 2010/63/EC on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes could be revised in 2017… By making the promotion and development of alternatives a priority, validated by a majority of MEPs, this revision could mark a major turning point! It is also another tool for One Voice, which has been the reference point for the animal experimentation group in the Animal Politique collective, which brings together 26 associations…
To support the project, spread the word and write to your MEPs!