WRITTEN QUESTION E-2024/01 by Paul Lannoye (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Animal testing.
Date: 2001-07-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EC Directive, animal experimentation, exchange of information

C 81 E/96

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.4.2002

As far as the recommendation is concerned, which is in fact the first Community legal instrument in this
area, it should also be noted that the Commission has published an evaluation report on its application
(27 February 2001) and that the Council adopted, on 26 June 2001, conclusions (3) on that evaluation in
which it invites the Member States and the Commission to pursue work, in their appropriate spheres of
competence, in the context of the recommendation.

In this connection the Council would point out that as the current STOP II programme, adopted on
28 June 2001, runs until the end of 2002, and the Daphne programme, adopted on 24 January 2000, runs
until the end of 2003, it is too early to comment on possible follow-up to these programmes.

(1) OJ L 270, 7.10.1998.
(2) OJ L 33, 6.2.1999.
(3) OJ C 213, 31.7.2001.

(2002/C 81 E/112)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2024/01

by Paul Lannoye (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(13 July 2001)

Subject: Animal testing

In the light of the fact that EU legislation (cid:129) such as Council Regulation 793/93 (1) and Council Directives
86/609 (2), 67/548 (3), 91/414 (4) and 98/8 (5) (cid:129) now routinely stresses that duplicate testing on vertebrate
animals should be avoided, and to this end either requires or encourages the sharing of information.

Can the Commission answer the following:

(cid:129) what steps is it taking in the various sectors where animal experiments are performed to ensure that

duplicate testing does not take place?

(cid:129) what is the extent of duplicate testing in each of those sectors?

(cid:129) what plans, legislative and/or administrative, does it have to ensure that it ceases?

(1) OJ L 84, 5.4.1993, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 358, 18.12.1986, p. 1.
(3) OJ B 196, 16.8.1967, p. 1.
(4) OJ L 230, 19.8.1991, p. 1.
(5) OJ L 123, 24.4.1998, p. 1.

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

(3 October 2001)

The directives to which the Honourable Member refers, do indeed stress that duplicate testing should be
avoided. Directives 67/548/EEC, 91/414/EEC and 98/8/EC (1)
furthermore permit Member States to
introduce national measures rendering obligatory the sharing of test data and several Member States have
done so. Under Council Directive 86/609/EEC (2), the Commission monitors the use of animals through
regular collection of statistics on the use of animals in experiments in the Community.

4.4.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 81 E/97

The recent White Paper entitled (cid:145)Strategy for a future Chemicals Policy(cid:146) (3) proposes to extend existing best
practices across the Community. Action 5F of the White Paper states:

Specific provisions should be included in the legislation that duplicate tests involving vertebrate
animals should be avoided. Any duplicate testing will not result in an exemption from the duty to
reimburse the party who owns the property rights for the first test.

The Commission believes that this will contribute to the cessation of duplicate testing.

(1) Council Directive 67/548/EEC of 27 June 1967 on the approximation of laws, regulations and administrative
provisions relating to the classification, packaging and labelling of dangerous substances; Council Directive
91/414/EEC of 15 July 1991 concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market; Directive 98/8/EC
of the Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 1998 concerning the placing of biocidal products on the
market.

(2) 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.

(3) COM(2001) 88 final.

(2002/C 81 E/113)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2040/01

by Jens-Peter Bonde (EDD) to the Commission

(13 July 2001)

Subject: Neglect of wind energy in the proposal for the next Framework programme for research and

technological development (2002-2006)

in the section on sustainable development and global environmental and
Why has the Commission,
climate change in its proposal
for the next Framework programme for research and technological
development (1) (2002-2006), completely neglected the importance of wind energy as a renewable source
of energy?

(1) COM(2001) 94.

Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(13 September 2001)

for

the new Framework Programme for Research, Technological
In the Commission(cid:146)s proposal
Development and Demonstration Activities (RTDD) (2002-2006) and the subsequent Specific Programme,
presently under consideration (in the co-decision procedure) by the Parliament and Council, funding of
RTDD on renewable energy sources (including wind energy) is being foreseen under the priority thematic
area of (cid:145)Sustainable Development and Global Change(cid:146). In the short and medium-term, the Community(cid:146)s
efforts will concentrate on tilting the actual energy balance towards more sustainable energy systems,
which combine heat and power as well as new and renewable energy sources, and increasing the share of
renewable energy systems from 6 % to 12 % by 2010. Research will focus on increased cost-efficiency and
reliability of the main new and renewable sources and the combination with conventional generation. In
the longer term, the objective in this field is to develop renewable energy sources which are intrinsically
clean and which can be well integrated into a sustainable energy supply mix, for both stationary and
transport applications.

Under the new Framework Programme proposal, RTDD on renewable energy sources may also be included
in the activities for supporting Union policies and for strengthening it(cid:146)s European Research Area through
the co-ordination of Community and Member State activities. It is expected that Community research can
be instrumental for bringing together leading actors and thereby help to strengthen Europe(cid:146)s position in
the international competition.