EU bans sale of all comestics tested on animals

Google - AFP, 11 March 2013

Activists hold placards reading "Stop Animal testing" in Palma de Mallorca,

on April 29, 2011 (AFP/File, Jaime Reina)

BRUSSELS — After years of trying, the EU finally put into effect Monday a complete ban on the sale of cosmetics developed through animal testing.

The EU has progressively clamped down on animal testing since the 1990s and banned most such products in 2009, but it left a few exemptions for several toxicity tests which will now cease.

The ban applies to all products, wherever in the world they come from.

The European Commission has "thoroughly assessed the impacts of the marketing ban and considers that there are overriding reasons to implement it," a statement said.

"This is in line with what many European citizens believe firmly: that the development of cosmetics does not warrant animal testing."

EU Health Commissioner Tonia Borg said Brussels would continue "supporting the development of alternative methods and to engage with third countries to follow our European approach".

Earlier this month, Japanese cosmetics giant Shiseido said it was dropping animal-tested products, with some exceptions where such tests were the only way of proving the safety of goods already on sale.

"Our business partners that supply material to us will not rely on animal testing while we will no longer outsource such testing to outside labs," Shiseido said.

Activists have for years pressured cosmetic firms and other companies that use animal testing to find alternatives to the practice, which they say is cruel and unnecessary.

Shiseido, which dropped animal testing at its own labs in 2011, said it could ensure the safety of its products through other means, including using data from past experiments, human volunteers and other kinds of testing.

Related Articles:

Japan Cosmetics Giant Shiseido Ditches Animal Testing Ahead of EU Ban

Chanel, Revlon and Johnson & Johnson: The big-name beauty brands among those ditching cruelty-free animal testing policies to sell their products to China


"Do Animals Reincarnate?" - NOV 22, 2010 (Kuthumi channelled by Lynette Leckie-Clark)

“... Perhaps this is a timely reminder for mankind to respect all life forms. All play a part in the consciousness evolution of man and the planet. As you prepare to enter a year of Unity, of stepping forward in respect of one another, I ask you remember the many kingdoms who also share the planet- the elemental, plant, mineral and animal. I ask you develop a new awareness for these. It is not all about you - the human. No it is not. You must now begin to awaken your consciousness to sharing - with all. For all is part of God's great creation.

Update from Ashtar via Mike Quinsey: Obama’s State of the Union Address – (Ashtar channeled by Susan Leland, February 12, 2013)

“… It is Freedom in every aspect of the lives of all humans on Planet Earth; it is Freedom for the animal and the plant kingdoms, and for the mineral kingdoms who are deemed to serve the humans. You know, it’s the humans who think all of the other kingdoms are here to serve. If you ask members of the other kingdoms what they have to say about that, they would take a different perspective and voice a different point of view which is true and appropriate, and as you like to say, it is high time because we are in High Times and we are continuing on this Path! ..."