WRITTEN QUESTION E-1495/01 by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission. Animal testing and the Chemicals Strategy.
Date: 2001-05-18
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: animal experimentation, animal welfare, chemical product, dangerous substance, product safety, protection of animals, research method

C 364 E/128

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.12.2001

packaging(cid:146) is perfectly fit for being composted, some Member States have misgivings about the practical
arrangements that would guarantee such an approach. In particular, the impact on the purity of the
biowaste fraction separately collected is questioned. Consumers may not distinguish between packaging
meeting the standard from other types of a similar visual appearance.

The Commission is aware of this possible conflict between a higher material recycling rate of packaging
and compost quality. Should the Commission decide to present a Proposal for regulating composting and
anaerobic digestion of biowaste to Council and Parliament, this aspect will be duly evaluated.

(2001/C 364 E/142)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1495/01

by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission

(18 May 2001)

Subject: Animal testing and the Chemicals Strategy

In view of the fact that much public concern about the proposed Chemicals Strategy is focused on the very
large number of animals which will suffer and die in order to carry out safety testing, how have the views
of the Commission regarding the requirement for animal testing changed since its proposals were first
published, and what steps is it now considering to reduce the number of animals required for testing
purposes?

Answer given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m on behalf of the Commission

(25 July 2001)

The Commission is indeed aware of the public concern over the use of laboratory animals for testing
chemical products. This concern was reflected in the correspondence received during the preparation of
the White Paper. However, the Commission was already committed, and remains committed, to promoting
the welfare of laboratory animals, in particular through the provisions of Council Directive 86/609/EEC of
24 November 1986 on the approximation of laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the
Member States regarding the protection of animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes (1).
It is important to reduce the number of animals used in experiments, to replace animal experiments by
non-animal methods and to refine experimental methods to reduce suffering is important in this respect.

It was against this background that the proposals in the White Paper were prepared. Indeed one of the
political objectives of this paper was that (cid:145)Protection of human health and the environment, including
wildlife, should be balanced against protection of the welfare of laboratory animals(cid:146).

The following elements of the new strategy have been developed with a view to keeping animal testing to
a minimum:

(cid:129) existing information on the toxicity and ecotoxicity of substances, including epidemiological studies,

will be taken into account,

(cid:129) the general
appropriate,

testing requirements will be modified to incorporate exposure-driven testing where

(cid:129) tailor-made testing programmes for substances will be developed under the control of authorities for

level 1 and 2 testing,

(cid:129) the development of further alternative testing methods using fewer or no animals will be encouraged

and supported,

(cid:129) existing substances will be grouped to minimise testing, where appropriate,

(cid:129) for existing substances of between 1t and 10t annual production, testing will generally be limited to

in-vitro methods.

20.12.2001

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 364 E/129

Furthermore, a significant proportion of the chemicals are not for further examination until 2008-2012.
By this time, new non-animal test methods are expected to be available as a result of the planned research
programmes into the development and validation of such methods, which include,
the
Commission(cid:146)s framework programmes
technological development and demonstration
activities that have played, since 1985, an active role in funding research into the development of in-
vitro alternatives to animal experiments for toxicological and pharmacological purposes. The European
Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (ECVAM) will play an essential role in further developing
this approach.

inter alia,

research,

for

The Commission is far from complacent about this issue and is working on plans for the implementation
of the above elements. In preparing these plans, the Commission will consider the comments received
from all stakeholders during the consultation on the White Paper.

(1) OJ L 358, 18.12.1986.

(2001/C 364 E/143)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1497/01

by Raimon Obiols i Germ(cid:224) (PSE) to the Commission

(18 May 2001)

Subject: Troika visit to Algeria

During the visit to Algeria by the President of the Council of the EU, Mrs Anna Lindh, and the High
Representative Mr Javier Solana, one of the subjects discussed in talks with the Algerian authorities was the
situation in Western Sahara.

It is no secret that implementation of the peace process in Western Sahara, consisting in the holding of
a referendum, is encountering considerable difficulties, which have led to a virtual standstill. Aware of this
situation, the UN Secretary-General Mr Kofi Annan stated, in his report to the Security Council in February
2001, that he had asked the Moroccan authorities for a set of proposals on opening political negotiations
between the two sides in order to break the deadlock. This will mean the opening of a new phase and
a new opportunity, in which the EU should not shirk its responsibilities or fail to exert its influence.

In this situation, is the Commission aware of its capacity to influence the two sides and help to overcome
an impasse which,
is threatening
a resumption of violence and increasing tension in the Maghreb?

in addition to causing great suffering to the population concerned,

Does the Commission consider that the EU should develop an active role to assist a peaceful settlement of
the Western Sahara question?

In the light of the latest meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Arab Maghreb Union held recently in
Algiers, and the subsequent statements by those responsible for the EU(cid:146)s Euro-Mediterranean policy aimed
at boosting the processes of sub-regionalisation and South-South cooperation, does the Commission
consider that the necessary development of an open market in the Maghreb is feasible without the prior
agreement of the two sides regarding the dispute over Western Sahara?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(26 July 2001)

The Commission fully support the United Nations (UN) Settlement plan for Western Sahara and the
continued efforts of the Personal Envoy of the Secretary General, Mr James A. Baker, for a durable, just and
mutually agreed resolution to the dispute.

The Commission is currently exploring possible ways of contributing positively to the process, in a manner
that would strengthen and complement the efforts by the United Nations (UN) and the Personal Envoy at
this critical juncture.