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ANIMAL EXPERIMENTATION

: : About the issue

More than 12.1 million animals, including mice, rabbits, primates, dogs, cats and fish, are used annually in animal experiments throughout the EU.

: : What is the current situation?

Since 2003 the Commission is preparing for the revision of Directive 86/609 the revision of Directive 86/609 with a scientific opinion from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and scientific working groups. The Commission proposal is expected to be presented to the Council and the European Parliament in 2008.

The Commission carried out a public consultation in mid-2006. The results show a high level of concern among EU citizens. The commission is supposed to take these results into account in the drafting of its proposal.

A European Parliament Written Declaration calling on the EU institutions to make the most of the revision of the Directive to end to the use of non-human primates in scientific experiments is currently circulating in the European Parliament.

: : What is Eurogroup calling for?

Eurogroup urges the Commission to publish the new legislation as a matter of urgency as the new rules are long overdue.

The revised directive should:

	apply to all animals and all procedures including in basic research and education and training;
	include a mechanism to ensure the 3Rs (replacement, reduction , refinement) are properly respected;
	make an ethical review part of every authorisation process for animal use;
	ensure transparency and public access to information about experimentation by more stringent reporting processes regarding the types of animals used, how they are used and their numbers;
	oblige Members States to licence and authorise establishments, experiments and personal;
	outline a strategy to end to the use of primates with immediate ban on wild-caught primates and great apes;
	integrate the standards for housing as agreed by Member States in the Council of Europe.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

European Union

Directive 86/609

Revision of Directive 86/609

Commission statistical reports (Jan. 05)

Housing and care guidelines (Jun. 07)