If you ask the average person on the street about animal-testing of makeup products, they either do not know whatsoever or have noticed Europe banned it and therefore suppose it’s a non-issue. Unfortunately, they’d be incorrect. It isn’t so simple. And don’t misunderstand me, either. I’m delighted the EU has taken this step and sent an obvious sign of disapproval for what is a needless and cruel practice.
The decision has recently lead to positive changes in other countries round the world, too. And this is a huge but. It doesn’t imply that consumers in the EU can walk into a beauty store and blindly trust that nothing there’s been animal-tested. There are some massive loopholes in the EU ban that you need to find out about.
- 1 x Eyeshadow Brush 10.8cm
- Never talk about eye makeup, even with family or close friends
- Minimizes fine lines
- 4 oz Lye
- Brighten your skin, fasten the fading of acne scars
- Progeria (immature ageing)
- 1 tbsp cold-pressed coconut oil
- Skin damage may be delayed a lot longer by using an anti-aging serum when you’re young
So, what has the EU exactly banned? The ban is found in a piece of legislation called the Regulation. Analysis on testing elements or completed products on pets in the EU. Analysis on makeup marketing products in the EU which have been tested on animals or which contain ingredients that have been examined on pets.
Well, the Regulation was fairly badly written. It caused a lot of confusion and was already challenged three times. The 3rd case made it completely to the European Court of Justice. Before the court spends any time looking at a complete case, someone called the Advocate General (“AG”) gives their opinion. The AG for this full case, AG Bobek, was a hoot.
Ouch! Okay, so that it seems there are a few problems. What was this particular case about? The European Federation for Cosmetic Ingredients (EFCI) is a big trade association for makeup products companies in Europe. Three of their people tested elements on animals to be able to use them in cosmetics destined for Japan and China. The EFCI argued that the firms should be permitted to sell these products in the EU, too.
Can companies place makeup products on the EU market which contain ingredients examined on animals for the purpose of satisfying laws in third countries? What do the courtroom say? The court followed the opinion of the AG ultimately. That being: it all comes down never to counting on animal testing. You can still thoroughly test your product on pets, just be sure you also do some non-animal testing and on that when entering the EU market rely. Wowee. A big blow to our dreams of a cruelty-free makeup products industry.
But this isn’t actually all of that new. In 2013 the EU Commission admitted it isn’t the work of testing on animals beyond your EU this is the no-no, but rather the reliance on protection data from that tests. AG Bobek in the current case said that a couple of things are clear. Firstly, the legislation will not create a complete ban on animal testing. Well, that much we knew already. The ban is about the makeup products sector solely. Animal testing is not banned for medical purposes and it is also allowed for the registration of certain chemicals (we’ll come back to this in a minute).
