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Revision of REACH chemicals legislation halted
The European Commission is stepping back from plans to revise the REACH chemicals legislation. According to Project 1882, the decision could slow progress toward a future without animal testing, but it may also create an opportunity for a faster phase-out.
In a statement to the European Parliament’s Committee for Environment, Climate and Food Safety on 27 April, EU Commissioner Jessika Roswall announced the European Commission’s decision on REACH. She said the Commission will not initiate a comprehensive revision of the chemicals legislation at this stage. The reason given is that the current global situation calls for stable and predictable regulatory frameworks.
Instead, the Commission intends to simplify and update the legislation within the existing framework, for example, by adjusting decision-making processes. Jessika Roswall also noted that further information will be provided at a later stage.
Concern and hope following the EU’s decision on REACH and animal testing
The decision not to revise the legislation has sparked both hope and concern. Project 1882 sees a strong need for change, as the current situation results in extensive animal testing. The problem becomes particularly clear when different EU regulations point in conflicting directions.
EU cosmetics legislation includes a ban on animal testing and marketing. At the same time, the Commission has stated that this ban does not cover all safety tests that may be required under REACH − for example, tests to assess risks to workers and the environment. This regulatory conflict was also a key background to the citizens’ initiative Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics.
It is too early to say whether this issue can be resolved within the existing regulatory framework. However, the timing of the announcement may indicate that it is intended to align with the forthcoming roadmap to phase out animal testing − expected at any time − without obstructing its progress.
The future of animal testing and REACH: uncertain developments in the EU
Under certain circumstances, REACH requires animal testing to determine how hazardous certain substances are, in what are known as toxicity tests. Recently published footage from laboratories in the UK has provided a unique insight into the reality faced by animals when subjected to toxicity tests. The footage comes from laboratory staff who have raised the alarm about the tests to which the animals are subjected, and the footage has stirred strong emotions.
The reactions to the new images confirm what the citizens’ initiative established as early as 2022: EU citizens do not accept the terrible suffering that toxicity testing inflicts on animals. The need for change is urgent—and now must be met with decisive action. I sincerely hope this announcement marks a real turning point, not just words.
− Benny Andersson, CEO of Project 1882.
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Read more about how Project 1882 is mobilizing against animal testing
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This suffering must end. Make your voice heard and demand that the EU phase out animal testing.
