Sauer Ursula
Akademie für Tierschutz, D-Neubiberg, Germany.
ALTEX. 2002;19 Suppl 1:26-9.
The European Commission is planning to put forward drafts for a new chemicals legislation by June 2002. In fulfillment of an Environmental Council Conclusion, Working Groups have been set up for consultation during the ongoing preparatory stage. There, members of the General Directorates Environment and Enterprise discuss relevant topics with representatives from authorities, industry, environmental and animal protection organisations. There is agreement that animal tests shall be reduced to a minimum. However it is still unclear how this goal can best be achieved. In this context, the designing of testing strategies will play a major role. It is explained, why fixed test catalogues should be replaced by flexible tiered testing strategies and how concrete waiving strategies can contribute to avoiding animal tests. Another important aspect is the EU-wide implementation of a clause on the avoidance of duplicate testing, which is already enforced in Germany and Austria. In these Member States, first parties have to provide data from previously performed animal tests to second parties. Finally, it is discussed that the application of new non-animal tests can be promoted, if the revised EU chemicals policy once again contains the legal framework for an EU-specific acceptance of new test methods.
欧盟委员会计划在2002年6月前提出一项新的化学品立法草案。为落实环境理事会的结论，在当前的筹备阶段已成立了多个工作组进行磋商。在那里，环境总局和企业总局的成员与来自当局、行业、环境和动物保护组织的代表讨论相关议题。各方一致认为应将动物试验减至最少。然而，目前仍不清楚如何才能最好地实现这一目标。在此背景下，测试策略的设计将发挥重要作用。文中解释了为何应将固定的测试目录替换为灵活的分层测试策略，以及具体的豁免策略如何有助于避免动物试验。另一个重要方面是在全欧盟范围内实施一项避免重复测试的条款，该条款已在德国和奥地利实施。在这些成员国，第一方必须向第二方提供先前进行动物试验得出的数据。最后，文中讨论了如果修订后的欧盟化学品政策再次包含欧盟对新测试方法进行特定认可的法律框架，那么新的非动物测试的应用将能够得到推动。
