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Press release - COVID-19: research package welcomed, EU needs to be better equipped in future

European Parliament - Fri, 03/20/2020 - 14:03
Crisis-response measures should be combined with a long-term commitment to EU research programmes, says Research MEP.
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP
Categories: European Union

Press release - COVID-19: research package welcomed, EU needs to be better equipped in future

European Parliament (News) - Fri, 03/20/2020 - 14:03
Crisis-response measures should be combined with a long-term commitment to EU research programmes, says Research MEP.
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP
Categories: European Union

Replying to EU citizens campaign against animal experimentation

Transport of piglets by road.

The President of the European Parliament sometimes receives large numbers of identical messages on a given topic. The Citizens’ Enquiries Unit (AskEP) is asked to reply to these campaign messages. Replies to campaigns are also published on the EPRS blog.

The President of the European Parliament has received a large number of messages calling for a Europe-wide moratorium on the use of animals in scientific research.

The reply sent to citizens who wrote to the President of the European Parliament on this matter is given below in English and French.

Reply in English

We would inform you that the EU rules on this issue are laid down in Directive 2010/63/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 September 2010 on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes. The directive is based on the principle of replacement, reduction and refinement of the use of animals in procedures (also known as the ‘Three Rs’ principle).

We would also inform you that during the eighth Parliamentary term (2014‑2019) on 3 May 2018, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on a global ban to end animal testing for cosmetics, in which Members reiterated ‘that animal testing can no longer be justified for cosmetics and asks EU and national public authorities to uphold the public’s opposition to cosmetics testing and support the advancement of innovative, humane testing methods’.

Further to the ban on animal testing for cosmetic purposes Members have tabled questions to the Commission – among others – on animal testing and clarifications on REACH and the Cosmetics Regulation, to which the Commission reply stated that ‘The promotion of alternative methods to animal testing is one of the main objectives of the REACH Regulation’.

On 3 March 2015, a European Citizens’ Initiative ‘Stop Vivisection‘ was submitted to the European Commission, the goal of which was ‘ to abrogate Directive 2010/63/EU on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes and put forward a new proposal aimed at phasing out the practice of animal experimentation, making compulsory the use – in biomedical and toxicological research – of data directly relevant for the human species’.

The initiative was discussed during a public hearing hosted by the European Parliament on 11 May 2015, to provide a platform for debate for Members, the general public, the European Citizens’ Initiative supporters and experts in the field.

In its communication setting out its actions in response to the initiative, the Commission welcomed the mobilisation of citizens in support of animal welfare and stated that the EU shares the initiative’s conviction that animal testing should be phased out, which is also the main aim of EU legislation.

Numerous petitions have been submitted to the European Parliament on the issue of animal testing and vivisection. Information regarding the right of petition to the European Parliament, including details on the procedures for submitting and supporting a petition and the conditions of admissibility (competence, form, presentation), or inadmissibility thereof, is available on the Petitions Web Portal.

Further information on animal testing is available in the summary of EU legislation on the protection of laboratory animals and the Commission’s webpage on ‘animals used for scientific purposes‘, which also provides details of EU action to identify alternative approaches.

The following websites and publications may also be of interest.

EU Reference Laboratory for alternatives to animal testing (EURL CVAM), the science and knowledge service of the European Commission.

The EURL ECVAM status report on the development, validation and regulatory acceptance of alternative methods and approaches.

European Partnership for Alternative Approaches to Animal Testing, a voluntary collaboration between the European Commission, European trade associations, and companies from eight industry sectors ‘committed to pooling knowledge and resources to accelerate the development, validation and acceptance of alternative approaches to animal testing’.

Alternatives to animal testing, the European Food Safety Authority website.

Reply in French

Nous vous informons que la question de l’expérimentation animale est réglementée au niveau de l’Union par la Directive 2010/63/UE du Parlement européen et du Conseil du 22 septembre 2010 relative à la protection des animaux utilisés à des fins scientifiques. La directive s’appuie sur l’application des principes dits de remplacement, de réduction et de raffinement (ou «règle des trois R») de l’utilisation d’animaux dans le cadre de ces procédures.

Nous vous informons également qu’au cours de la huitième législature (2014‑2019), le 3 mai 2018, le Parlement européen a adopté une résolution sur l’interdiction totale de l’expérimentation animale pour les cosmétiques, dans laquelle il «réaffirme que l’expérimentation animale ne peut plus être justifiée pour les cosmétiques et demande à l’Union et aux pouvoirs publics nationaux de soutenir l’opposition des citoyens à l’expérimentation animale pour les cosmétiques et le développement de méthodes d’expérimentation novatrices et humaines».

Dans le droit fil de l’interdiction de l’expérimentation animale dans le domaine des produits cosmétiques, plusieurs députés ont adressé des questions à la Commission concernant, entre autres, l’expérimentation animale et des éclaircissements sur REACH et le règlement sur les produits cosmétiques, ce à quoi la Commission a répondu en déclarant que «la promotion de méthodes alternatives à l’expérimentation animale est l’un des principaux objectifs du règlement REACH».

Le 3 mars 2015, une initiative citoyenne européenne intitulée Stop Vivisection a été présentée à la Commission, en vue de demander à cette dernière «d’abroger la Directive 2010/63/UE relative à la protection des animaux utilisés à des fins scientifiques et de présenter à la place une nouvelle proposition de directive visant à mettre fin à l’expérimentation animale et de rendre obligatoire, pour la recherche biomédicale et toxicologique, l’utilisation de données pertinentes pour l’espèce humaine».

L’initiative a été examinée lors d’une audition publique, organisée par le Parlement européen le 11 mai 2015, pour permettre aux députés, au grand public, aux signataires de l’initiative citoyenne européenne et aux experts du domaine d’échanger sur ces questions.

Dans sa communication exposant ce qu’elle compte faire pour répondre à l’initiative, la Commission salue la mobilisation des citoyens en faveur du bien-être des animaux et déclare que l’Union européenne partage la conviction qui est celle de l’initiative citoyenne, à savoir que les essais sur les animaux devraient être progressivement supprimés, ce qui est aussi la finalité ultime de la législation européenne dans ce domaine.

Un grand nombre de pétitions ont été présentées au Parlement européen sur la question de l’expérimentation animale et de la vivisection. Les informations concernant le droit de pétition auprès du Parlement européen, y compris des précisions sur les procédures à suivre pour présenter et soutenir une pétition et sur les conditions de recevabilité (compétence, forme, présentation), sont disponibles sur le portail des pétitions du Parlement européen.

Davantage d’informations sont disponibles dans la synthèse publiée sur EUR-Lex concernant la protection des animaux de laboratoire ainsi que sur la page web que la Commission consacre aux animaux utilisés à des fins scientifiques, qui précise également les mesures prises par l’Union pour recenser les méthodes de substitution à l’expérimentation animale.

Les sites et publications suivants pourraient également vous intéresser.

Laboratoire de référence de l’Union pour les méthodes de substitution à l’expérimentation animale (EURL CVAM), le service de la Commission européenne pour la science et la connaissance.

Le rapport de l’EURL EVCAM sur la mise au point, la validation et l’acceptation réglementaire de méthodes et techniques de substitution.

Le partenariat européen visant à promouvoir les méthodes de substitution à l’expérimentation animale, une collaboration volontaire entre la Commission européenne, des associations professionnelles européennes et des entreprises de huit secteurs industriels «qui se sont engagées à mettre en commun leurs connaissances et leurs ressources pour accélérer le développement, la validation et l’acceptation de méthodes de substitution à l’expérimentation animale».

Alternatives à l’expérimentation animale, le site web de l’Autorité européenne de sécurité des aliments (EFSA).”

Categories: European Union

EU Council joins fight to bust coronavirus ‘ghost flights’

Euractiv.com - Fri, 03/20/2020 - 13:24
The European Council agreed on Friday (20 March) to waive EU 'use it or lose it' rules that obligate airlines to fulfil at least 80% of their airport take-off and landing slots in a calendar year. The member states want the rules put on ice longer than the Commission suggested.
Categories: European Union

EU open to ‘coronabonds’ to cushion economic fallout – von der Leyen

Euractiv.com - Fri, 03/20/2020 - 13:02
The European Commission is ready to consider backing common debt issuance in the eurozone to help the bloc weather the massive economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak, its president said on Friday (20 March).
Categories: European Union

Enel says digital drive has given it hedge on coronavirus threat

Euractiv.com - Fri, 03/20/2020 - 12:35
Italy’s biggest utility, Enel, does not expect the coronavirus epidemic to have any major impact on its results and says its drive to digitalise operations has given it an advantage. Enel has been ramping up spending on digital networks to...
Categories: European Union

How self-isolation can bring us closer together

Euractiv.com - Fri, 03/20/2020 - 12:23
A strange side effect of government-mandated self-isolation is that it can bring you closer to people than ever. When Spain ordered a nationwide lockdown last weekend, friends and family I hadn’t spoken with in months, and sometimes years, reached out on social media to ask after my safety.
Categories: European Union

Debate: Who has which responsibilities?

Eurotopics.net - Fri, 03/20/2020 - 12:11
The fight against the coronavirus is imposing considerable constraints and burdens on everyone. Politicians and celebrities are calling for social cohesion and solidarity - but some people seem to feel these calls don't apply to them. The media debate who bears which responsibilities in this crisis.
Categories: European Union

Debate: Coronavirus: ECB buying 870 billion in bonds

Eurotopics.net - Fri, 03/20/2020 - 12:11
To combat the economic repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic the ECB has announced plans to spend another 750 billion euros on bond purchases. This comes after last week's announcement that it would invest 120 billion euros in bond-buying. The measure is aimed at lowering the interest rates at which states and companies can borrow money. Is this the right response to the crisis?
Categories: European Union

Debate: Refugees: what if Covid-19 reaches Moria?

Eurotopics.net - Fri, 03/20/2020 - 12:11
More than 40,000 people, including 1,500 unaccompanied minors, are stranded in the refugee camps on Greek Islands. Their distribution to other EU countries has been suspended in the wake of the corona crisis. The virus has not yet officially reached the cramped camps, where the sanitary infrastructure is makeshift at best. Europe's press sees a humanitarian disaster looming.
Categories: European Union

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