17 September 2008 - Reacting to the Commission’s decision to postpone revision of its 20-year-old legislation on the use of animals in experiments, vice-president of the European Parliament Intergroup on Animal Welfare and UK Green MEP Caroline Lucas commented:

"It is unacceptable that the European Commission continues to sit on its hands and block improved standards of animal protection. The animal experiments directive (Directive 86/609 EEC) is completely out of date – over 20 years old.

“Currently over 10 million animals are used in experiments in the EU each year, and hundreds of thousands of animals currently receive no protection at all. The European Commission has been promising to update the animal experiments directive for years, with publication of the legislative proposal originally expected in 2007.

“Since then, the dossier has stumbled at every hurdle. Further delay is simply unacceptable. Urgent action is needed to protect both human health and animals by replacing out-dated, cruel and often misleading animal experiments with up-to-date, non-animal alternatives.

”In order to respond to public opinion, the Commission must improve standards of animal protection, and increase transparency and accountability in the revision of this Directive."

Dr Lucas concluded: “In May this year, renowned bioethicist and primatologist Jane Goodall presented a 150,000 signature petition to the European Parliament calling for an improved strategy for the use of animals in experiments. The Commission has regrettably chosen to ignore public opinion and shelve proposals once again."