EU bans animal testing for cosmetics

Animals are tested for possible side-effects

By Tim Franks BBC Europe correspondent

A Europe-wide ban on the use of animals to test cosmetic products has been approved with an overwhelming majority by the European Parliament.

It took 10 years of argument, but under the final compromise agreed the European Union will bring in the ban by 2009.

The prohibition will also be extended so that no beauty and hygiene products tested on animals outside the bloc may be sold inside the EU.

However, there are some loopholes which have been condemned by animal rights groups as unacceptable.

Under the exemptions, when products need to be checked for their toxicity or their effect on fertility, animal testing will be allowed to continue until 2013.

Even then, the deadline could be extended if scientists have not found alternative measures.

Testing defended

The cosmetics industry believes that it has been hard done by.

It insists that animal testing is by far the best way to test for cancer- and allergy-causing chemicals.

It also argues that the cosmetics industry is not just involved in vanity but in health.

It says that animal testing has been key in developing, for example, better toothpaste and safer sunscreen.

There have been fierce arguments on all sides, with European governments among those resisting the zeal of MEPs.

But, at last, this wide-ranging ban will now come into effect.