One Voice is asking France to encourage alternative methods to animal testing in the EU
With the outcome of the second European Citizens’ Initiative regarding animal testing in 2023, the European Union has announced the implementation of a collaborative plan between Member States. But we believe that this project is about to be rejected by national public authorities. We are immediately writing to the Ministry of Research in order to encourage France to vote for a more ethical future.
A good initiative already being hampered?
Last summer, the response from authorities to the Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics ECI was rather mixed: claims concerning cosmetics were openly rejected, and announcements of efforts to be undertaken to move towards the end of regulatory toxicology tests remained unclear. Among the positive points, in the spring, the Commission developed on a project linked to the ERA (European Research Area), with the idea of bringing together efforts in the development, implementation, and sharing of substitution methods.
We knew that the fight was far from being won. The imminent holding of a vote concerning this project, for which the result is not good, has led us, as a member of Cruelty Free Europe and the European Coalition to End Animal Experiments (ECEAE), to do what is necessary to advocate for animals alongside our government.
In favour of ethical science
We have written to Sylvie Retailleau, Minster for Research, so that France’s vote will go in the right direction. It is always good to take strong measures aiming to accelerate the transition on an international scale, and we will inform you of the results of this vote.
Of course, the end of animal testing does not depend only on this. The number of individuals used in toxicology testing is the only one to have decreased (slightly) over the years, while ethical committees approve shameful projects involving electric shocks, chronic pain, and even traumatic stress. Not to mention the industry that resists change as much as it can.
The fight continues, with you.
Translated from the French by Joely Justice