§ Ms AthertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans the Government have to require cosmetic products imported into the United Kingdom which have been tested on animals to be labelled with this information; and if he will make a statement. [125952]
§ Dr. HowellsUnder the current Cosmetic Products (Safety) Regulations 1996, any reference to testing on animals in the labelling of a cosmetic product must state clearly whether the tests carried out involved the cosmetic product itself or its ingredients. (However, if manufacturers market their products without any reference to animal testing, the regulations do not require them to alter that practice).
The European Commission has proposed a 7th Amendment to the Cosmetics Directive, which aims to ban animal testing in the EU. One aspect of the proposed amendment will be that the Commission, in collaboration with member states, will produce guidelines to ensure that common criteria are applied to any claims relating to animal testing, and that such claims do not mislead the consumer.