THE WHAT? The European Union has published its long-awaited roadmap to phase out animal testing for chemical safety assessments, setting out a framework to accelerate the adoption of non-animal testing methods across regulatory systems.
THE DETAILS The roadmap, developed following the “Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics” European Citizens Initiative, outlines 22 actions and more than 30 recommendations aimed at reducing and ultimately replacing animal testing. A key element is the creation of a new scientific framework designed to support a transition to non-animal chemical safety assessments. The EU plans to adapt legislation and regulatory guidance by 2029 to incorporate validated non-animal testing methods and eliminate redundant animal tests. The roadmap is structured around three pillars: accelerating the development and uptake of non-animal methods, positioning Europe as a leader in next-generation safety testing through technologies such as artificial intelligence and human-relevant data models, and strengthening international collaboration to drive broader acceptance of alternative testing approaches. A dedicated governance structure and public progress dashboard will be established to monitor implementation. However, certain sectors, including biological products, vaccines, gene therapies and advanced medicinal products, currently remain outside the roadmap’s scope.
THE WHY? The initiative aims to reduce reliance on animal testing, improve the scientific relevance of safety assessments through advanced technologies, and position the EU as a global leader in ethical, innovative and human-relevant chemical safety testing.
Source: European Commission
