Animal Advocacy EU ban on animal testing...Its a bit confusing!

[Alice-Bee]

On the 11th of March animal testing for cosmetics is set to end. But what does that REALLY mean.
I for one am confused about it.

This is what the BUAV had to say:

After 11th March, 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.

and

The EU banned the use of animals to test cosmetics in Europe back in 2009, so since then no animals should have been used for cosmetics purposes in the 27 EU countries.

The new 2013 EU ban prohibits companies from carrying out animal tests *outside* of the EU for new products that are sold in Europe. In most of these countries animal testing is sadly still allowed, which is why the organisation founded by the BUAV, is campaigning for a global ban so that no more animals are made to suffer in cruel tests for cosmetics anywhere in the world.

and

The upcoming EU ban for animal tested cosmetics is forward-looking, meaning that no further animal tests can be carried out for new cosmetics sold in the EU. Products that are currently on the market that have been animal tested before 11th March 2013 will still be available for sale in the EU. This means a big change for all companies wanting to sell new products in the EU as they cannot carry out animal tests after 11th March for products they want to sell in the EU.

Companies will still be able to animal test cosmetics outside the EU if the cosmetics are not going to be sold in the EU. However, we anticipate the EU ban will have a positive knock-on effect around the world. The cosmetics industry is already discussing the implications of the EU ban in other countries, and we hope to see companies streamline their testing policies, bringing the world another step closer to a global ban.

Until we achieve a global ban, we encourage everyone to shop with the Leaping Bunny. Leaping Bunny certification is only awarded to companies who have decided not to enter the Chinese market where animal testing for imported cosmetics is required. We only certify companies that have a policy not to test any of their products on animals anywhere in the world, enabling consumers to reward those companies who do not use animal tests for any market.

http://www.crueltyfreeinternational...ng-for-cosmetics-in-europe-finally-set-to-end

 

[Pirate]

Yeah reading that I'm confused too. I bet they will find loopholes. Could a company sell a product abroad for so many years and then sell it here? Or is it banned for good. Also, a company who animal tests could still use money gained in Europe to fund testing abroad but consumers would be tricked into buying it thinking they no longer animal test. Obviously its an amazing achievement though.

 

[SummerRain]

I don't think it sounds that confusing... it makes sense that they can carry out no new tests, what would be the point in stopping them selling products already developed because they used animal testing in the past? Except for a moral stand I suppose.

I am wondering if a company would be able to test ingredients on animals outside the EU and then use these in EU products? The references to "products tested on animals" makes me think that there could be loop-hole room around ingredients used in products, especially if you sell outside the EU, if you had an R&D department outside the EU and then developed something new... it seems unlikely you'd be stopped from using that knowledge/ingredients/methods in EU products from what I read there.

I am fairly suspicious, but hopeful. If nothing else I am proud that it's an issue of enough importance for the people in the EU that it's got to this stage, even if there is lots of wiggle room for companies who want to test on animals.

 

[Alice-Bee]

I understand that it means no new tests BUT as is evident on my FB feed, Omnis (who'd like to buy CF products) seem to think this magically makes all products CF. Like Loreal and anything by P&G are now instantly CF. The information IMHO is not clear enough for the average consumer. We as AR supporters read into and look at the information. They see 'A ban on cosmetics tests' and think 'its over everything is CF now'
Ive read comments that say the ban still permits repeated-dose toxicity, reproductive toxicity and toxicokinetics!

In simple terms, what exactly is the EU ban on animal testing for cosmetics and when does it come into force?
The ban on conducting animal tests for cosmetics for sale in the EU comes into effect on 11 March this year. After this date no company can carry out new animal tests for cosmetics purposes within the EU. In addition, such tests cannot be conducted elsewhere in the world for products to be sold within the EU.

Great! So I can be confident that when I buy any cosmetics after this date, the company will no longer be testing any of their products, or the ingredients used to make them, on animals?
The simple answer is 'no'!

• Companies can continue to sell products in the UK and across Europe that contain ingredients that have been tested on animals in the past (i.e prior to 11 March 2013).
• 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.
• Some brands could still test on animals if their products can be proven to fall under the remit of drugs rather than cosmetics, for example face creams that claim to target skin problems such as acne or eczema.
• Any company that wishes to import its products into China, MUST agree to animal testing of those products by the Chinese government before they can be sold in the country.

 

[Moll Flanders]

I understand that it means no new tests BUT as is evident on my FB feed, Omnis (who'd like to buy CF products) seem to think this magically makes all products CF. Like Loreal and anything by P&G are now instantly CF. The information IMHO is not clear enough for the average consumer.

That is probably true unfortunately. Most people aren't informed enough about the products they buy or they can't be bothered to find the right information. (I'm not saying that I'm perfect with every product I buy either.)

I will just stick to Superdrug and Lush vegan stuff.