The ECEAE (European Coalition to End Animal Experiments) of which the BUAV is the UK member, has welcomed an investigation launched by the European Ombudsman into a report by the European Commission on experiments on non-human primates (NHP). This follows a complaint submitted by the ECEAE that the Commission’s report is deeply scientifically flawed and biased in favour of NHP research.

The trade and use of primates in research within the EU is one of the controversial issues that is being considered in the revision of EU Directive 86/609 on the protection of animals used in experiments. The revision has reached its final stages; the Council of Ministers will soon adopt its position.

In a letter to the ECEAE dated 28th January 2010, the European Ombudsman states that the Commission has been asked to answer the following allegations made by the ECEAE:

• The Commission failed to ensure that the working group established by SCHER to issue the opinion had sufficient expertise in the area of non-human primate (NHP) research.
• The Commission failed to ensure that SCHER took due account of evidence supplied by interest groups about the efficacy of NHP research and alternatives to it.

See press release