The European Parliament has adopted a new law which prohibits all testing on animals for the purposes of compliance with the Detergents Regulation, including closing off pathways that could trigger new tests on animals for assessing novel technologies or emerging risks. It applies to testing when producing detergents for both industrial and household use.

It’s the first animal testing ban to come into place in EU legislation since a 2013 ban on using animals in tests for cosmetics.

Animal protection NGO Cruelty Free Europe says this is ‘a historic milestone’, demonstrating the European Commission’s ongoing commitment to phase-out animal testing in all chemical safety tests, in line with its roadmap which is due to be published in the next few months.

Majdouline Sbaï MEP (Greens/EFA) said: “Detergents are part of our daily lives. The revision of the two-decade-old regulation was absolutely necessary in order to improve consumer information, protect workers and reduce the harmful impact on our health, our ecosystems and animals.”

Dr Emma Grange, of Cruelty Free Europe, said: “While there is still more to do to ensure all EU chemicals rules move consistently toward a future without animal testing, this decision shows that the political and institutional will of the EU is ready to catch up with public opinion.”

Campaigners in Brussels make their case