Europe has listened - and said NO to cruel cosmetics!
After a long, hard battle, the European Union is now free of all new animal tested cosmetics
2013 is set to be a truly historic year for the IAVS and our partners at the European Coalition to End Animal Experiments (ECEAE). Our long-fought campaign to end animal testing for cosmetics (No Cruel Cosmetics) has come to an end in Europe, with the implementation of the last phase of the European Union’s ban which came into force on 11th March 2013.
What the EU ban on the import and sale of animal tested cosmetics will mean
After 11th March 2013, no company can carry out new animal tests for cosmetics purposes outside of the EU for products to be sold in the EU. Cosmetics companies can, however, continue to sell in the EU products with ingredients that have been animal tested in the past.
If a product has ingredients which have been animal tested after the ban comes into effect, a company will not be able to market this in Europe, even if it sells the same product in other global markets.
Companies (even if they are based in the EU) will still be able to sell products with animal tested ingredients outside of the EU, assuming that the animal testing was done somewhere else in the world. This opens up the theoretical possibility of a company conducting animal tests for ingredients in some markets but using non animal methods and existing data for the EU Market. Aside from the animal welfare implications, this would obviously increase costs and effort for companies so we hope that the more likely impact is that global companies put an increasing emphasis on non-animal tests for all of their markets.
Calling for a global ban on animal testing for cosmetics
Animal testing for cosmetics still happens. Over 80% of the world still allows animal testing for cosmetics and some countries, notably China, require imported products to be tested on animals before they reach the market. The impact of the EU ban for global companies makes change in other markets much more likely. Cruelty Free International is now building on success achieved in the EU to call on all Governments to end animal testing for cosmetics which will give a level playing field to all companies.
Source: Cruelty Free International
For more info see http://www.crueltyfreeinternational.org