CONSERVATIVES WELCOME EU ANIMAL TESTING COMPROMISE
Posted, September 08, 2010 @ 00:00
Strasbourg 8 September 2010. Conservative Agriculture spokesman in Europe Richard Ashworth today welcomed new rules on animal testing voted through the European Parliament in Strasbourg today.
The new rules seeks to reinforce and strengthen animal welfare legislation while at the same time encouraging the phasing out of animal testing as new technologies come forward. The report also recognises the vital contribution that animal testing makes to human health.
Speaking after the vote today Mr Ashworth said,
"The EU has come forward with a common sense compromise. A blanket ban on animal testing that was put forward by some is simply not realistic at the moment.
"We have instead come forward with a balanced package that increases the protection of animals in labs whilst ensuring that testing can still continue under tighter regulation. This further safeguards animal welfare until new developing technologies can replace animal testing altogether. Above all, our compromise protects human health and allows vital, and in some cases, life saving, research to continue"