Appeal to the European Parlement

Let’s maintain the ban throughout the European Union on the sale of all cosmetic products whose components have undergone any testing on animals. It is imperative to reinforce this historical moral step forward.

The year 2013 got off to a significant start thanks to you, the members of the European Parlement, to your momentous decision to impose a total ban effective March 11, 2013, on the production and sale of cosmetics whose development has involved animal testing.

The very large ensemble of organizations involved in the protection of the planet’s natural resources as well as the safeguarding of its animal populations, and with them our own scientific committee, Proanima, engaged together in promoting alternative methods to animal testing, we honor you.

At the same time, we endeavor to warn you of the ongoing attempts on the part of the cosmetic industry to reverse this ban. They argue that the latest 10-year allotment did not give them enough time to develop the means to replace in vitro/in silico testing on animals, in their eyes the only effective existing means.

Whereas, during the same period, these same companies devoted an exceptional amount of energy as well as colossal sums to the development of new products by the means of innovative techniques that they were well able to create with the clear intention of realizing and sustaining the most profitable business margins.

This latter goal appears to have taken precedence over any initiative to find ethical substitutes to animal testing as evidenced by the meager budgetary allocations for the creation of any scientific means of product testing not involving animals.

These companies have gone so far as to try to impute a danger to the consumer, deprived of information that can only be gathered by means of animal testing. Here, we firmly denounce as well what is a patently unfounded assertion – as it is only data relative to the biological material of the species concerned, in this case exclusively the human species, that can be considered as being pertinent.

The widest panoply of data based on rodent models would necessarily be of only limited interest.

Thus the decision that has been taken by the European Union can be comprehended as the symbol of a progressive society, one that has evolved to become respectful of all living things in the name of a more responsible humane science.

The cosmetic industry needs to become enlightened, to be encouraged to fall into step with what is taking hold increasingly within the Community, to face up to their responsibilities, to adapt to the unstoppable moral evolution of our modern society.

As evidence of this, we cite the 15 000 signatures received within the space of ten days proposing the end to animal testing within the framework of the program R.E.A.C.H, concrete testimony of a wish for real change. (1)

We hereby respectfully demand that the landmark ban, as it is written, on the sale of all and any cosmetic products whose research and development may have involved animal testing be unequivocally maintained.

(1)www.mesopinions.com/petition/animaux/reach-aux-tests-animaux-biologie-moderne/9825 ?