WRITTEN QUESTION E-0482/96 by Peter Crampton (PSE) to the Commission (1 March 1996)

Subject: Cosmetic testing

In accordance with the Commission's obligations in Directives 93/35/EEC ((OJ L 151, 23.6.1993, p. 32. )) and 86/609/EEC ((OJ L 358, 18.12.1986, p. 1. )), and in view of its inability to provide a detailed analysis of the tests currently used in the EU, exactly what action, if any, does the Commission intend to take, and precisely when, to ensure that experimental methods which do not use live animals are developed and legally validated as satisfactory alternatives prior to 1998?

Answer given by Mrs Bonino on behalf of the Commission (25 April 1996)

Council Directive 93/35/EEC, amending for the sixth time the cosmetics Directive, provides that Member States shall prohibit the marketing of cosmetic products containing 'ingredients or combinations of ingredients tested on animals after 1 January 1998 in order to meet the requirements of the directive'. The directive also prescribes that 'the Commission shall present an annual report to the Parliament and the Council on progress in the development, validation and legal acceptance of alternative methods to those involving experiments on animals'.

On 16 December 1994, the Commission transmitted to the Parliament and to the Council its annual report for 1994. One of the conclusions is that one can reasonably hope that in vitro alternative methods providing a level of consumer protection equivalent to animal tests will be available in the near future in a number of specific fields. Moreover, the report shows that it will shortly be possible to have finished products tested exclusively in vitro thanks to the existing knowledge on the toxicity of ingredients.

The Commission is now preparing its 1995 report, which should shortly be adopted and transmitted to the Parliament and to the Council. This report will supply the details which the Commission has been able to collect from the Member States as well as information on the progress achieved until now and the future prospects.