EU’s ‘sensible approach’ to animal research welcomed

Research groups praise rejection of campaigners’ call to legislate a timed phase-out

The European Commission has adopted a “sensible” approach to the use of animals in research, sectoral organisations have said after the EU institution published its response to a petition calling on it to legislate for a timeline for ending the practice.

On 25 July, the Commission rejected the call made in the petition organised by a group of animal rights campaigners, which attracted about 1.2 million signatures, saying that it is not yet possible to know when alternatives will be available, making setting goals “unrealistic”.