07/29/22 Deadline to close on voting for cruelty free cosmetics
Only five weeks left to collect signatures for cruelty-free cosmetics
- Ingredients already declared as safe are still being tested on animals; 60,000 more signatures needed for a ban on animal testing for cosmetics
On September 1, 2021, major animal rights organisations from across Europe launched “Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics – Commit to a Europe without Animal Testing” citizens’ initiative and started collecting signatures. There are now only five weeks left to gather the necessary total of one million signatures.
Croatia was among the first countries to pass the necessary 8,460 vote threshold. As many as 11,000 citizens voted for the ban – an indication of how much Croatian citizens care about animals. Since it is necessary to collect another 60,000 votes across the European Union over the next five weeks, many animal protection groups and citizens intensified their efforts in sharing the link for the initiative and joining the grand countdown.
After one million signatures are gathered, the European Commission will be forced to propose a new regulation stipulating a ban on animal testing. The ban of animal testing for cosmetics and sale of animal-tested cosmetics came into force back in 2013 in the European Union, however, they are undermined by the REACH regulation that addresses the registration, evaluation and authorisation of chemicals. Based on the Regulation, ingredients used in cosmetic products are tested on animals, including many ingredients that have already been declared safe for years.
“Over ten million animals die in laboratories across Europe in particularly cruel ways due to unnecessary testing of cosmetic preparations. Acid is poured into the eyes of dogs, rabbits, cats, and other animals to test new make-up while cosmetic ingredients are applied to open wounds. Some animals are forced to inhale toxic chemical compounds. There are many more reliable methods of animal-free testing,” state Animal Friends Croatia who have been collecting signatures in Croatia since last year.
“Help us prevent death and lifelong agony of millions of animals by signing the initiative at eci.ec.europa.eu/019/public and invite your family and friends to join in. When purchasing cosmetics or cleaning products, pay attention to whether the manufacturer performs animal testing or if the cosmetics are vegan,” Animal Friends Croatia suggests.
More information is available at endanimaltesting.eu.