ECJ ruling on animal-tested cosmetics is a victory, says South West & Gibraltar MEP

5.07.01pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 25th May 2005

The EU's court, the European Court of Justice, has dismissed the action brought by France against the Europe-wide ban on animal-testing of cosmetic products.

South West and Gibraltar Liberal Democrat MEP, Graham Watson, a key supporter of the 2003 EU Cosmetics Directive which brought in the ban, said:

"I applaud the European Court's verdict that there can be no more excuses for animal testing of toiletries, make-up and beauty products. It's a victory for ethical standards in an industry that has unnecessarily flattered human vanity at the expense of animal suffering."

"French companies are major players in the cosmetics industry and I'm not surprised that they've tried this on. But I hope it represents a last attempt at stalling before the full ban is enforced in 2009. The judgement adds urgency to the development of effective alternative methods."

"The introduction of the ban was an example of the value of MEPs' power to co-decide European legislation. The French attempt to overturn it shows that if matters had been left just to Europe's governments, animals would have continued to suffer and die for the sake of 'new improved' shampoos, mascara and face creams."

As a result of today's judgement, the ban on manufacturing or selling in the EU cosmetic products tested on animals will begin in 2009 as planned. The French government took the matter to the European Court with the claim that the six-year phasing out period did not give cosmetic companies enough time to find alternatives to animal tested products. The ECJ ruled that a postponement would change the entire legislation.