Change EU Law on Animal Testing for Cosmetics
- by: Katie H, Jessica W, Amy P.
- recipient: Kim Darroch
Currently the EU law on Animal Testing for Cosmetics still allows companies to test on animals for cosmetics while their consumers are unaware.
The EU law required the discontinuation of animal experiments for finished cosmetic products as of september 2004. Since the 11th March 2009 cosmetic ingredients are no longer allowed to be tested on animals 'with the exception of repeated- dose toxicity, reproductive toxicity and toxicokinetics. For these specific health effects the marketing ban will apply step by step as soon as alternative methods are validated and adopted in EU legislastion.' Cosmetics must not be sold in the EU if their ingredients were tested on animals later than 11th March 2009.
However, this law contains many loopholes that still allow companies to inflict pain on animals while their consumers are unaware and still allows consumers to buy animal tested products. These Loopholes are:
- The Law inforced in 2009 doesnt apply to Ingredients tested before this date and so these animal tested ingredients can still be used in products meaning consumers are still buying animal tested products.
- Large companies that make pharmaceuticals and household products as well as cosmetics can test on animals under pharmaceuticals and household products but then place these ingredients in their cosmetics.
- The law bans all animal tests for cosmetics 'with the exception of repeated- dose toxicity, reproductive toxicity and toxicokinetics.' This means that many companies can still test on animals for safety assessments up until 11th March 2013.
These loopholes, if left unchanged, will continue to cause pain and suffering to animals without consumers being aware. Sign This petition and get this Law changed for both the animals and consumers rights.
Dear Kim Darroch,
We are three year eleven citizenship students who, for our course, have decided to campaign about animal testing for cosmetics. After our initial research, we discovered that there are existing laws preventing animal testing for cosmetics in the EU. These laws state that %u2018The testing ban on finished cosmetic products applies since 11 September 2004%u2019 and %u2018the testing ban on ingredients or combination of ingredients applies since 11 March 2009%u2019 (http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/sectors/cosmetics/animal-testing/index_en.htm).
After further research, we have found a number of loopholes in this law. These laws do not prevent ingredients that have been tested on animals before the 11th March 2009 from being used in cosmetics currently sold in the EU. Another loophole allows companies that make pharmaceutical and household products as well as cosmetics to test ingredients on animals. They claim that the ingredients are for use in pharmaceutical or household products, but then use the same ingredients in their cosmetics. These loopholes, if left unchanged, will continue to allow companies to cause pain and suffering to animals without consumers being aware.
There are other problems surrounding the laws banning animal testing for cosmetics. Not all animal tests have been banned under these laws. Certain tests, such as for repeated dose toxicity as well as many other safety assessments, are legal until the 13th March 2013. In addition to this, the UK government does not currently govern these laws in the UK. This responsibility is left to local council%u2019s Trading Standards Departments (TSD) that do not have the expertise or resources to be able to enforce this law properly.
Due to this we will be campaigning on the weakness of the current EU law on animal testing for cosmetics and how it is governed in the UK, to have the issues surrounding the law corrected. We would like to know your views on this issue and hope to gain your support.
Yours sincerely,
Jessica W, Katie H and Amy P.
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