Europe Must Not Allow Animal Testing for Cosmetics to Happen Through the Back Door

People all over Europe celebrated last year when the ban on animal testing for cosmetics in the European Union came into full force. So we were deeply concerned when a joint statement from the European Commission and the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) this week confirmed that cruel tests on animals for cosmetics ingredients will continue under the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation, the world’s biggest animal testing programme. Here’s our statement on the issue:

PETA believes that the cosmetics testing ban is a vital start, an important and big step forward, but that there is more to be done.

Despite the clear mandate from the public and international governments on this issue, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is still insisting on testing chemicals used in cosmetics for which there is a possibility of workforce exposure during manufacturing processes, and that means that animals will, in fact, continue to die in tests of cosmetics ingredients, something most people in the world do not want to happen.

It is inexcusable in these times that animals can be forced to suffer and die for testing cosmetics ingredients in a saturated marketplace, especially considering the wide availability of vastly superior non-animal tests. PETA and its affiliates are determined to press to uphold the public’s opposition to cosmetics testing and the advancement of innovative, humane testing methods by pushing the ECHA to fulfil the spirit of the law by never testing cosmetics ingredients on animals, no matter what the circumstances are.

Please be certain that you’re not supporting cruel and completely unnecessary tests on animals by consulting PETA US’ international list of cruelty-free companies here.

Image: Doctors Against Animal Experiments