ADI: MEPs vote to allow severe and prolonged suffering of animals and say it's in the interests of animal welfare

Wednesday, 1 April 2009 12:00 AM

Today in the European Parliament's Agriculture Committee MEPs have backed a series of amendments that seriously weaken proposals from the European Commission to regulate animal testing across Europe. Some measures could set animal protection back decades.

This is the first revision for 23 years of Directive 86/609/EEC (regulating animal experimentation across Europe) and it had been hoped that it would be a major step forward, bringing in advanced replacement methods to gradually phase out animal use.
European Commission proposals to revise the legislation had been cautiously welcomed, although many felt they did not go far enough.

But MEPs, heavily briefed by animal supply and user industries, tabled hundreds of amendments to undermine the new proposals, flooding the committee members with multiple changes that muddied the waters. Today in AGRI Committee MEPs voted on over 500 amendments.

The amendments voted through by MEPs include:

. Reducing the scientific justification needed to experiment on monkeys - despite the enormous public concern, there will be less scrutiny of proposals to use primates.

. European Commission's proposals to stop the trapping of wild monkeys - delayed indefinitely.

. Authorisation/licensing of almost all experiments would be ended - the majority of animal research would be a free-for-all.

. Allowing almost unlimited re-use of animals in all but a handful of experiments, including toxicity tests and inducing brain damage.

. Allowing animals to suffer severe and prolonged pain.

ADI Chief Executive, Jan Creamer, says "This is a tragedy. MEPs are claiming to protect laboratory animals whilst simultaneously slashing protections proposed by the European Commission, which they spent years developing in consultation with all parties. Many people thought MEPs would strengthen these proposals and stand up to industry lobbyists, instead the Commission proposals are being torn apart. Even measures to prevent lab animal dealers from trapping wild monkeys have been slashed. This completely goes against public and political will, that wherever possible, animal research should be replaced by advanced techniques. Animals and members of the public have been badly let down today."

80% of European citizens find primate research unacceptable.

In 2007, 55% of MEPs voted for an early end to the use of great apes and wild-caught primates, and for a phase-out of all primate use.

ENDS

For further information, contact ADI Public Relations Officer, Ally MacDonald
Office Tel: 020 7630 3344. Mobile: 07785 552548
Email: pr@ad-international.org

NOTES FOR EDITORS

A full commentary by ADI on the amendments is being circulated to MEPs and is available to media on request.

The amended proposal will now go forward to be voted on by the full European Parliament.

ADI Technical Briefings are available here:
. Competitiveness Briefing http://www.savetheprimates.org/files/tbcompetitiveness24309finen.pdf
. Primates Briefing http://www.savetheprimates.org/files/tbf1primatephaseout233fin.pdf
. Thematic Review http://www.savetheprimates.org/files/tbthematicupdatedmar09fin.pdf
. Authorisation: Ethical and Scientific Review http://www.savetheprimates.org/files/tbethicalscientreviewfin.pdf

The full text of the proposal to revise 86 609 EEC (released on November 5th, 2008) which governs the rules on all animal testing across Europe is available here:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2008:0543:FIN:EN:PDF

The ADI/NAVS 'Vision for Europe' report, giving a breakdown of the proposals and calls for amendments, is available here:
http://www.savetheprimates.org/files/adivisionforeurope.pdf

Examples of alternatives to animal-based research methods include:

Microdosing:
The European Union Microdose AMS Partnership Programme (EUMAPP) has had very positive results with microdosing/AMS proving to be 80% predictive of human absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion. This is considerably more accurate than primate tests, where results are shown to be predictive only 30% of the time.

Neuroimaging:
Another emerging and developing area of research, which is offering an effective alternative to the use of monkeys. A new provision for regular thematic reviews under Article 8 of the proposed Directive would enable assessment and implementation of replacement strategies for primates in neuroscience, and indeed, in regulatory testing

Computer based alternatives in higher education:
Another field where considerable advances have been made in some European countries - as well as even further afield, such as China and Brazil. This is a sector where the implementation of a thematic review (under Article 53) could save 200,000 animals per year and potentially many, many more. These new teaching programmes have been demonstrated to both replace animals and provide science students with an excellent education, and sophisticated knowledge and skills for the future.

The full text of Written Declaration 40 and details of MEP signatories supporting a timetable to phase out all primate tests is available here: http://www.navs.org.uk/take_action/39/0/885/

For more information see www.savetheprimates.org

Animal Defenders International (ADI)
With offices in London, San Francisco and Bogota, Animal Defenders International (ADI) campaigns to protect animals in entertainment, replacement of animals in experiments; worldwide traffic in endangered species; vegetarianism; factory farming; pollution and conservation. ADI also rescues animals in distress worldwide. Our evidence has led to campaigns and legislative action all over the world to protect them. www.ad-international.org

The National Anti-Vivisection Society (NAVS)
The National Anti-Vivisection Society (NAVS), founded in 1875, was the world's first group to campaign for the abolition of cruel and futile experiments on animals. Through its sister organisation, the Lord Dowding Fund, the group promotes non-animal research by awarding grants in excess of £2 million.
www.navs.org.uk

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