In October 2020, the European Commission adopted its Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability (CSS) – part of the European Union’s zero pollution ambition. The strategy’s goals are better protection of citizens and our environment from harmful chemicals and the promotion of safer and more sustainable chemicals. 

Giving its position on the strategy in July 2020, the European Parliament emphasised the importance of ensuring a high level of protection of human health, animal health and the environment; particular regard was given to the minimisation of exposure to hazardous chemicals, application of the precautionary principle, effective protection of workers, preservation and restoration of ecosystems and biodiversity, and the fostering of innovation in sustainable chemicals – all of which whilst minimising the use of animal testing.

We know that Europe’s citizens want to see an end to animal testing, signing a European Citizens’ Initiative of over one million signatures expressing that demand – the second on this issue. Polling carried out in 2020 showed that nearly three quarters (72%) of adults in EU member states agree that the EU should set binding targets and deadlines to phase out testing on animals, and seven in ten (70%) adults in EU member states agree that enabling the full replacement of all forms of animal testing with non-animal testing methods should be a priority for the EU.

Yet worryingly, changes to key EU chemicals legislation under the CSS look set to trigger a huge increase in animal testing with questionable chances of success for better protection for human health and the environment – an approach that follows the misguided notion that there must always be a trade-off between protecting against harmful chemicals and avoiding animal testing. 

This Cruelty Free Europe webinar sets out to bring different sectors together to show how we can plot a route to a toxic-free environment using animal-free testing and research.