The EU moves towards phasing out animal testing in chemical safety assessments

Brussels – “After decades of animal testing, we are taking concrete steps to end this.” The announcement was made by the European Commissioner for the Environment, Water Resilience and the Circular Economy, Jessika Roswall, after the European Commission adopted a roadmap today (1 June) for the phasing out of animal testing for chemical safety assessments. The plan sets out “clear, tangible steps to ensure the transition to innovative approaches
to innovative non-animal approaches” and aims to ensure “the integrity of safety evaluations,
which ensure a high level of protection for human and animal health and the environment.” This “will be a triple win for animals, the environment, and companies,” Roswall stated. “Today is a good day for animals and shows that Europe cares,” she emphasised. 

The roadmap comprises twenty-two actions divided into three pillars and provides for the gradual phasing out of animal testing in fifteen sectors, including chemicals for industrial and consumer use, pesticides and biocides, pharmaceuticals, and food and feed additives. It also includes “indicators that will help monitor progress
in the implementation of the actions and recommendations” set out in the roadmap itself. In this regard, the European Commission’s Executive Vice-President for Industry, Stéphane Séjourné, reiterated: “By phasing out animal testing, we are not only upholding higher ethical standards, but also strengthening our competitiveness through cutting-edge, non-animal alternative technologies”. 

The first pillar focuses on “making change happen towards
phasing out animal use.” This means that the actions set out in this section aim to accelerate the development and adoption of approaches that do not involve the use of animals. It includes more than thirty recommendations aimed at “replacing, reducing or refining animal testing for human health and environmental safety assessments”. The second pillar seeks to “keep Europe at the forefront of research and innovation,” aiming to “support a broad ecosystem of research and entrepreneurial innovation for the development of approaches that do not involve the use of animals.” These actions include the use of artificial intelligence and datasets for the development of ad hoc methods. The third pillar concerns intra- and extra-EU collaboration.
Actions under this pillar include putting in place a framework to facilitate implementation with all relevant stakeholders in the EU and to foster collaboration with regulators at the international level.

The roadmap forms part of the so-called REACH – EU legislation on the registration, evaluation and authorisation of chemicals, which aims to ensure a higher level of protection for human health and the environment – and constitutes a concrete outcome of the Action Plan on Chemicals presented by the Commission in July 2025. The Commission will immediately begin implementing the roadmap, in close cooperation with Member States, EU agencies and stakeholders. By 2029, it will also organise a high-level conference to take stock of progress, focusing on the increased use and adoption of non-animal approaches across all relevant EU legislation, including REACH. The Berlaymont’s commitment to this issue dates back to 2023, when, in response to the European Citizens’ Initiative “Save Cruelty-Free Cosmetics – Commit to a Europe Without Animal Testing”, it undertook to develop a comprehensive roadmap for the phasing out of animal testing for chemical safety assessments.