EU: The sale of virtually all animal-tested cosmetic products will be banned from 2009 after a deal was struck yesterday between the European Parliament and European Union governments.
After 13 years of negotiations and a damage limitation campaign by the cosmetics industry a definitive agreement to take such products off the shelf once and for all and put a virtual stop to all animal-testing in the EU has been reached.
"The compromise allows for the development of alternative testing methods of cosmetics to the benefit of consumer safety. All in all we have achieved a well-balanced agreement," said Danish Environment Minister Mr Hans Christian Schmidt.
The modified EU directive, which still must be formally approved by the European Parliament and the 15 member-states, would update legislation introduced in 1976 and already modified several times.
In 1993, the measure was amended to include what amounted to a ban on the marketing of cosmetic ingredients that had been tested on animals.
Originally due to come into force in 1998, the ban was suspended by the European Commission, partly due to a clause allowing postponement if insufficient alternatives to animal testing were available.
Irish Green Party MEP Ms Patricia McKenna last night said negociations were not completely finished but there would be a test ban and a sales and marketing ban from 2009.
Ms McKenna said there had been considerable opposition to the bans from France, Britain and The Netherlands.
"France was really digging their heels given their huge cosmetics industry" she said.
The Dublin MEP said that there was no justification for such obstruction, or for testing causing animals pain.