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Animals used for scientific purposes
Introduction
The protection and welfare of animals is an area covered by a wide range of EU legislation. This includes the protection of wildlife, zoo animals, farm animals, animals in transport and animals used for scientific purposes. Animal studies, whether for the development or production of new medicines, for physiological studies, for studying environmental effects or for the testing of chemicals or new food additives, has to be carried out in compliance with EU legislation.
Since 1986, the EU has had in place specific legislation covering the use of animals for scientific purposes. On 22 September 2010 the EU adopted Directive 2010/63/EU which updates and replaces the 1986 Directive 86/609/EEC on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes. The aim of the new Directive is to strengthen legislation, and improve the welfare of those animals still needed to be used, as well as to firmly anchor the principle of the Three Rs, to Replace, Reduce and Refine the use of animals, in EU legislation. Directive 2010/63/EU will take full effect from 1 January 2013.
Latest updates
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A consensus document on guidance for the drafting and publication of non-technical project summaries including a template and an illustrative example has been published - EURL ECVAM recently published its strategy for skin sensitisation hazard identification and classification which focuses on how to achieve an animal-free solution for assessing chemicals for skin sensitisation.
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The page for "Implementation, interpretation and terminology" for Directive 2010/63/EU under "Legislation" has been reworked with the aim of providing clearer access to the latest documents organised by the subject matter. Your team for the protection of experimental animals invites you to visit the page and would appreciate feedback and suggestions for further improvement.
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Events have been announced
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Updated consensus document on "work in progress" for the development of a common, non-binding education and training framework has been published
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Illustrative examples for the process of severity classification, day-to-day assessment and actual severity assessment
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Corrigendum to the Working document on genetically altered animals of 23 January 2013
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The Commission Implementing Decision establishing a common format for the submission of the information pursuant to Article 54 of Directive 2010/63/EU was adopted on 14 November 2012
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The ECVAM Search Guide – Good Search Practice on Animal Alternatives - a guide to successful searching for relevant alternative strategies and methods to animal experiments. This publication is available for free from the EU Bookshop
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List of PARERE Network members has been published
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The Laboratory Animals web-site has been restructured to provide improved navigation for its visitors. Section 'Legislation' covers now all elements linked to current (and new) legislation, information on the transposition of Directive 2010/63/EU, and the familiar pages concerning the revision of Directive 86/609/EEC. Your team for the protection of experimental animals invites you to explore the pages and would appreciate any suggestions for further improvement.
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The list of National Contact Points for the implementation of Directive 2010/63/EU has been added.
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The Commission has published its latest report on "The Development, Validation and Legal Acceptance of Alternative Methods to Animal Tests in the Field of Cosmetics” The report is produced in order to comply with Article 9 of Council Directive 76/768/EEC on cosmetic products, as amended by the European Parliament and Council Directive 2003/15/EC
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The Commission has published its latest report on "The Development, Validation and Legal Acceptance of Alternative Methods to Animal Tests in the Field of Cosmetics” The report is produced in order to comply with Article 9 of Council Directive 76/768/EEC on cosmetic products, as amended by the European Parliament and Council Directive 2003/15/EC
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Directive 2010/63/EU on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes, adopted 8 September 2010
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On 27 May 2010, the World Organisation for Animal Health, OIE, at its 78th General Session, adopted the first international animal welfare standards for the "Use of animals in research and education" under the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code to be used as the basis when formulating regulatory framework in this field. It states that a system of animal use oversight should be implemented in each country. The EU was an active contributor throughout the development of these standards and ensured that the European values were sufficiently reflected in the final text. The standards recognise the principle of the Three Rs, the replacement, reduction and refinement of the use of animals. They emphasise the need for humane treatment of animals and acknowledge that good quality science depends upon good animal welfare by requiring that pain, distress, lasting harm as well as suffering is kept to the minimum.
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Online survey on EU policy on animal welfare - In 2010, an online survey was launched as part of an evaluation of the EU Policy on Animal Welfare (EUPAW). Information about the evaluation can be found on the project website. The evaluation is concerned with EU animal welfare actions over the 2000-2008 period and was carried out with reference to farm animals, experimental animals, pet and wild animals
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Communication from the Commission concerning the Council's position at first reading on the adoption of a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes, adopted 15 June 2010
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The position of the Council at first reading with a view to the adoption of a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes as adopted on 3 June on the basis of a pre-negotiated second-reading agreement
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Conclusions of the Expert Working Group on severity classification of scientific procedures performed on animals
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First Reading Report from the European Parliament of the proposal to revise Directive 86/609/EEC
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Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risks (SCHER) opinion on the use of non-human primates in research and on the replacement, reduction and refinement of their use in scientific procedures. For other SCHER opinions follow this link.
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Proposal to revise the directive on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes (86/609/EEC) (Nov 2008)
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Impact assessment of the proposal to revise the directive on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes (Nov 2008)
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Citizens' summary on the proposal to revise the directive on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes (Nov 2008)
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EU Protocol on animal welfare (included in the 1997 Amsterdam Treaty)
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European Parliament Written Declaration on non-human primates in scientific experiments (Sep 2007)
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Response by the European Commission to European Parliament declaration on non-human primates in scientific experiments (includes a response to petitions received by the Commission on this declaration)
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Response to a petition on a supply and breeding centre for non-human primates in northern Spain (Nov 2007)
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Response to petitions on the protection of experimental animals and banning experiments on non-human primates (Sep 2007)
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