End the Sham, Not the Ban: PETA and MEPs Call For Cosmetics Without Animal Testing

EU citizens and the European Parliament campaigned long and hard to secure the ban on animal testing for cosmetics, but it has been effectively destroyed by the European Commission. PETA leaped into action, travelling to Brussels to join hands with animal allies from the European Parliament to work to safeguard this crucial ban.

Together with member of the European Parliament Tilly Metz, who is honorary president of the Parliament’s Intergroup on the Welfare and Conservation of Animals, we held a vegan breakfast meeting to discuss how to ensure that no rabbit, rat, or other animal is tormented for ingredients used in products such as sun cream or shampoo. We extend heartfelt thanks to our distinguished speakers, Donna MacMillan of International Collaboration on Cosmetics Safety and Gavin Maxwell of Unilever, for their invaluable insights on how we can ensure human and environmental safety without testing on animals.

“I am committed to holding the European Commission accountable and pushing for a full ban on animal testing for cosmetics without any loopholes that allow for harming animals and deceiving consumers.”

– Tilly Metz MEP for Euroaktiv

The event brought together non-governmental organisations, members of the European Parliament, representatives from the European Commission, national regulators, industry stakeholders, and specialists in non-animal safety data. We delved into the next steps for achieving a comprehensive ban on animal testing for cosmetics in Europe. Our discussion covered the European Commission’s response to the “Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics – Commit to a Europe Without Animal Testing” European citizens’ initiative, the recent EU court ruling in the Symrise case, and the latest scientific advances in non-animal testing methods for human and environmental health.

Wait … Are Animals Still Used for Cosmetics Tests?

Sadly, they are. Rabbits, mice, rats, and other animals are still allowed to be tormented, poisoned, and killed in cruel, avoidable tests for cosmetics ingredients used in products such as sun cream, shampoo, or perfume.

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) – supported by the European Commission – continues to undermine a European Union–wide ban on animal testing for cosmetics. ECHA achieves this under the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation – a shameful loophole that allows animals to be subjected to horrific tests.

Under REACH, tests on animals are permitted for ingredients used exclusively in cosmetics for which there is a possibility of factory workers being exposed during the manufacturing process. For ingredients used in cosmetics and other types of products, such as detergents or other household products, tests on animals are permitted regardless of any worker exposure or environmental risk.

This policy erodes the once groundbreaking ban on animal testing for cosmetics and goes against the very intention behind its creation: to ensure that sentient beings no longer suffer and die for the sake of make-up or perfume.

More Than 1.2 Million EU Citizens Want Animals out of Laboratories

In 2021, a European citizens’ initiative was launched calling for the EU ban on animal testing for cosmetics to be protected and strengthened.

While the initiative was validated with over 1.2 million statements of support from European citizens, the Commission failed to recognise that the ban was being weakened and refused to take action. This means that the once pioneering ban has effectively been rendered worthless.

The True Cost of Cosmetics

A single test for a cosmetics ingredient can involve hundreds of rabbits. Some will be force-fed an ingredient throughout pregnancy before they and their unborn offspring are killed and dissected.

Thousands of rabbits, rats, fish, and other animals suffer in laboratories across Europe every year. These animals – who feel pain and fear, just like humans do – are subjected to horrific abuse during experiments that can be replaced with non-animal methods.

Animal tests are time-consuming, expensive, and seriously limited in garnering data relevant to human and environmental protection. When compared to human data, it was found that tests on animals for predicting skin damage were wrong in 45% of cases.

How Can the Ban Be Saved?

No animal deserves to suffer and die for the sake of lipstick or toothpaste. Public and parliamentary support for a comprehensive ban on animal testing is stronger than ever, and REACH and the Cosmetics Regulation, the review of which is now more than two years overdue, must urgently be revised. We are calling for the following actions:

• Close all regulatory loopholes allowing animal testing under the guise of worker safety.
• Strengthen the ban on animal testing for cosmetics by ensuring that non-animal methods are used for environmental risk assessments.
• Increase investment in innovative non-animal testing methods.
• Involve the new EU commissioner for animal welfare in safeguarding animal protection.

We must take action now to protect the integrity of Europe’s cruelty-free cosmetics market and honour the will of the public and Parliament. Help get our message heard by urging the European Commission to take action and stop the ban on animal testing for cosmetics from being undermined:

Take Action!

Always Choose Cruelty-Free

The PETA US global Beauty Without Bunnies database helps consumers choose companies that have shunned tests on animals in favour of effective, modern non-animal methods. Make the compassionate choice – never buy from companies that test on animals.

Shop Cruelty-Free