12 Million Reasons
The current revision of the animal experimentation legislation (EU Directive 86/609/EEC) is proving to be hugely controversial, despite the absence of a real debate involving the public and the lack of interest shown by the majority of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs).
The revision process involves the European Commission (which publishes the original proposals for a revised legislation), the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers. They negotiate a joint text which will become the revised legislation.
Current activities
The Commission's proposals are now being discussed by the Council of Ministers, which is composed of all 27 Member States representatives of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council. The Swedish Presidency (in place until the end of December 2009) considered the animal welfare issue as being a priority, and pushed the Council to agree on its position by the end of this year. Because there are still remaining issues regarding the implementation of the Lisbon Treaty, the position of the Council has not yet been adopted, so there is still a lot to fight for. A provisional version of the report has however been negotiated with the European Parliament.
The process of negotiation of this provisional report was highly undemocratic. The Rapporteur of the Parliament (who prepares the position of the Parliament on behalf of all MEPs) and the Council representatives discussed amendments to the Commission’s proposals behind closed doors. This is far from representing European citizens views of the promotion of a humane modern science. However, some governments have recently expressed their concerns with some other aspects of the compromise agreed earlier in December, so we may see changes to this provisional report in the coming weeks.
The BUAV along, with the ECEAE, has been and is still fighting to secure the best deal for animals in the final stages of the revision of Directive 86/609/EEC. The BUAV is strongly opposed to all animal experiments and wants to see at the very least included in the revised legislation the following proposals:
- The use of non human primates, including for basic research, should be limited to debilitating or life-threatening human conditions, with a view to bringing such experiments to an end at the earliest opportunity.
- Member States must encourage researchers to move away from using the offspring of primates captured in the wild (without the need for a feasibility study).
- All procedures should be subject to Member State authorization – with no exception for safety testing - and be retrospectively assessed.
- Experiments which involve severe suffering, that is more than transient, should be immediately banned in line with public opinion.
- The Three R’s principle (Replacement, Reduction and Refinement) has to be implemented more effectively, giving more resources to researchers investing in alternative methods and imposing an obligation to use alternatives which are scientifically as reliable as the relevant animal method, irrespective of whether the former is included in EC legislation.
- Full information regarding the procedures should be available (except personal and confidential information), giving practical support to the principle of transparency (one of the milestone of the European Commission).
Next steps
The position of the Council is expected to be adopted in early 2010, and the Parliament will vote on the proposals in the following weeks.
