Commission conference to examine alternatives to animal experiments

Brussels, June 2002

The European Commission is holding a conference on research into alternative methods to animal testing and experimentation from 9 to 10 July in Brussels, Belgium.

The event aims to assess the latest scientific advances and policy developments in order to reduce, replace and refine animal tests. Organised jointly by the Research DG and the Joint Research Centre (JRC), it will be opened by Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin.

The conference will review the current state of science, legislation and regulation in the area, including possibilities offered by genomics and other new areas of scientific research. It will also address growing ethical considerations and public concern about the use of animal experiments and testing.

Reducing the use of animal experimentation has been an objective of the European Union for the last two decades. The Directive on the protection of animals used for experimental and scientific purposes ( 86/609/EEC ), the funding of research into alternative methods by successive Framework programmes and the establishment of the European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods in 1991 have contributed to this objective.

The conference is open to the media and there will be a press conference at 13.00 on 9 June.

For further information, please consult the following web address:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/rrr.html

CORDIS RTD-NEWS/© European Communities, 2001