Global news: Europe rules out animal testing

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Tonio Borg, the European Commissioner in charge of Health and Consumer Policy, said: "The Commission is committed to continue supporting the development of alternative methods [to animal testing] and to engage with third countries to follow our European approach."

The EU outlawed the testing of cosmetic products on animals in 2004 and the testing of ingredients in products since 2009. A press release from the European Commision stated that "the development of cosmetics does not warrant animal testing."

Green Party animal welfare spokesperson, Mojo Mathers, says that New Zealand needs to follow suit. "Animal testing of cosmetics is both cruel and unnecessary, and is fast becoming extinct," she said. "There are modern, smart alternatives to using animal testing, and we need to embrace these."

Download your free anti-animal testing guide here, thanks to SAFE.