EU implements full ban on cosmetic products tested on animal

The European Union (EU) will implement today’s ban on cosmetics tested on animal products, the European Commission confirmed this morning, releasing a policy paper on the next research steps required to develop alternative methods to animal tests where not have been yet found and accepted as viable.

"The political decision was not to make a proposal for the postponement of the deadline,” Sabine Lecrenier, head of the cosmetics unit at the European Commission’s health and consumers directorate general told journalists in Brussels.

The ban applies to tests conducted from today onwards and so does not affect products currently on the market, according to Lecrenier, since their safety has been tested and proven years ago. Even if the ban will not have an immediate impact, Lecrenier recognised that it will pose challenges for developing new ingredients to be used in cosmetics in the years to come. Cosmetics producers can also still use data from animal tests conducted before todays ban.