THE WHAT?  The General Court of the European Court of Justice ruled that Symrise AG, a German cosmetics manufacturer, must conduct animal testing on two ingredients used in sunscreens. This decision has been met with frustration by Cruelty Free Europe (CFE), an animal protection NGO, as it seemingly undermines existing EU and UK bans on animal testing for cosmetics.

THE DETAILS  The ruling arises from a conflict between the EU’s REACH regulation, which dictates safety assessments for chemicals, and the bans on cosmetic animal testing. Despite REACH guidelines suggesting animal testing as a last resort, the court determined it necessary where no alternatives exist. This interpretation effectively overrides the cosmetics testing bans. Symrise AG’s initial appeal against the European Chemicals Agency’s (ECHA) demand for animal testing was dismissed, leading to the current legal situation.

THE WHY?  CFE views this ruling as a setback in efforts to eliminate animal testing in cosmetics. The decision conflicts with the expectations of over 1.2 million people who signed a petition for stronger EU bans on such testing. Dr. Emma Grange from CFE highlights the gap between public opposition to animal testing and the regulatory decisions being made, calling for a clearer and more expedited approach towards eliminating animal testing in the cosmetics industry.