24.

Articles 11 to 19, concerning experiments on live animals, are the most directly relevant to the present case. They provide as follows: ‘Article 11 Experiments may be carried out on an animal only with the following aims: 1. (a) Prevention of diseases, deficiencies or any other anomaly or of their effects on humans, animals or plants, including testing of medicaments, substances or products; (b) diagnosis or treatment of illnesses, deficiencies or any other anomaly or of their effects on humans, animals or plants; 2. Diagnosis and appraisal of physiological state; 3. Prolonging the life of humans, animals or plants; 4. Protection of the environment; 5. Production and testing of foodstuffs; 6. Rearing of animals; 7. Study of animal behaviour; 8. Teaching and training. Article 12 Any person who proposes to conduct experiments on live animals on one of the grounds listed in Article 11 must seek the authorization of the Minister for each experiment. The application must state the aim of the experiment, the method by which it is to be performed, any anaesthetics that are to be used and the kind and number of animals used. Experiments may be authorized by the Minister only if the Minister of Health has given his prior authorization to the programme of experiments. Such authorization may be limited in time. It may be revoked at any moment. The person responsible for conducting the experiments must possess a university qualification in medicine, veterinary medicine or biology and possess the necessary practical experience. Article 13 Experiments on animals may be conducted only in approved institutes or laboratories possessing qualified staff and appropriate facilities permitting the animals in question to be kept in such a way as to prevent them as far as possible from suffering pain, distress or injury. Experiments connected with a study of behaviour may be conducted outside such premises. Article 14 Educational experiments may only be conducted in higher level education. Article 15 No animals shall be used in an experiment if there is another animal of lower sensitivity or psychological development or if a reasonable alternative meeting the needs of the experiment is available. Article 16 Any experiment on an animal which is liable to cause it pain or anxiety must be conducted under general or local anaesthetic or by similar methods unless they are: (a) more traumatic for the animal than the experiment itself; (b) incompatible with the aim of the experiment and authorized by the Minister. Article 17 Where an animal has been subject to severe pain, distress or injury, it may not be used for further experiments. If an animal can survive only in a state of pain or suffering it must be killed immediately even if the object of the experiment has not been achieved. Article 18 For each experiment on animals that is authorized a record must be made indicating the aim of the experiment, the method by which it is carried out, any anaesthetics used and the kind and number of animals used. Records shall be kept for three years and shall be available for inspection by the supervisory bodies. Article 19 The Minister shall confer responsibility for the control and supervision of the articles of Chapter VII on a veterinarian.’