Handhaving Europees verbod op dierproeven nederlaag voor Franse cosmeticaindustrie (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The EU's top court rejected a French appeal against a ban on testing cosmetics on animals, telling the country with the largest cosmetics industry in Europe that an annulment of the measures is "impossible".

The European Court of Justice announced its verdict on Tuesday (24 May), arguing that scrapping the articles - as demanded by Paris would undermine the law.

The 2003 EU directive set a list of barriers to the development and marketing of cosmetics tested on animals with clear deadlines on putting them in place.

Under the rules, most new animal-tested cosmetics should be banned from March 2009, when the law comes into force - with no possibility of extending the deadline. But firms can carry out three types of animal testing until 2013, which should give them time to develop alternatives.

The new measures apply also to sales of products originating outside the EU, which - France argued - could lead to problems at international trade level.

Eurogroup for Animal Welfare, a Brussels-based NGO, was pleased with the court's decision.

"It is crucial for us that the goal of the legislation has been upheld, despite its possible economic consequences. The court has recognised that its basic objective is the protection of animals", Marlou Heinen, a group spokeswoman told EUobserver.

The cosmetics industry was also following the case, but "did not expect a major change in the overall trend of the phasing out of animal testing", according to Sebastian Max, from Colipa, the European cosmetic, toiletry and perfumery association.

"We are doing what we can to meet the deadlines introduced by this directive. It is already clear that we will make it even ahead of time in some areas, and hardly so in others", he said.