Brussels, 17 Jan 2005

The Eurogroup for Animal Welfare has declared itself 'appalled' by a French challenge to the EU Cosmetics Directive prohibiting animal testing.

In 2003, Members of the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers adopted a seventh amendment to the Cosmetics Directive, which introduced both testing and marketing bans. The Directive was due to be transposed into national legislation in September 2004.

But France has applied to the European Court of Justice for annulment of the animal testing and marketing plans. The case will be heard on 18 January, and a judgement is expected by the summer.

'If the French Government succeeds it means that animals will continue to be used and killed for new cosmetic products,' said the group in a statement.

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The Cosmetics Directive includes an immediate ban on new cosmetics tested on animals where alternative test methods have been validated and adopted in the EU; a marketing ban on new animal-tested cosmetics from 2009; and a complete ban on all testing for cosmetics in the EU from 2009.

For further information on the Eurogroup for Animal Welfare, please visit:

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