HC Deb 19 September 2002 vol 390 c150W
Mr. Breed

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the position Her Majesty's Government will take on the EU Cosmetics Directive at second reading and conciliation in the European Parliament. [69719]

Mr. Wilson

At the Internal Market Consumers and Tourism Council on 26 November 2001 the UK voted in favour of the Common Position text. The Common Position text includes a marketing ban linked to Organisation for Economic Development and Cooperation (OECD) accepted and published alternatives to animal tests. The text also contains a full test ban for finished cosmetic products and a testing ban on ingredients once internationally validated alternatives to animal testing are available. The UK will enter conciliation discussions from this position. The Government's objective is to encourage the adoption of a text which takes account of the European Parliament's concerns in relation to animal welfare, and which is both consistent with our WTO obligations and designed to withstand challenges within the WTO.

Mr. Breed

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what reasons Her Majesty's Government voted against(a) a complete marketing ban on new animal-tested cosmetics and (b) a full ban on animal testing for cosmetics in the EU at the Council of Ministers; and if she will make a statement. [69720]

Mr. Wilson

The reasons why the Government voted against(a) a complete marketing ban on new animal-tested cosmetics and (b) a full ban on animal testing for cosmetics in the EU in favour of the Council Common position text were set out by my hon. Friend the Minister for Competition, Consumers and Markets during the course of the debate in European Standing Committee C held on 13 March and published in the Parliamentary Debates Official Report of the same date. The Government's objective is to encourage the adoption of a text which takes account of the European Parliament's concerns in relation to animal welfare, and which is both consistent with our WTO obligations and designed to withstand challenges within the WTO.