Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

[**Avis juridique important**](../../../editorial/legal_notice.htm)

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# 92001E2024

**WRITTEN QUESTION E-2024/01 by Paul Lannoye (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Animal testing.** 
  
*Official Journal 081 E , 04/04/2002 P. 0096 - 0097*

  

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 such as Council Regulation 793/93(1) and Council Directives 86/609(2), 67/548(3), 91/414(4) and 98/8(5) 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:

- what steps is it taking in the various sectors where animal experiments are performed to ensure that duplicate testing does not take place?

- what is the extent of duplicate testing in each of those sectors?

- 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 Wallström 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.

The recent White Paper entitled Strategy for a future Chemicals Policy(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.

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