National Antivisection Society
Victory for primates:
Posted: 7 September 2007
Over half the Members of the European Parliament sign pledge to end lab monkey tests
Animal Defenders International’s (ADI) campaign to end lab primates’ misery has achieved a major victory this week as 429 MEPs put their signatures to Written Declaration 40/2007 in the European Parliament - the requisite number needed to trigger its adoption. The European Parliament has made its feelings clear – it wants a ban. This is the first step to getting legislation.
The declaration, sponsored by UK MEP John Bowis, French MEP Martine Roure, Swedish MEP Jens Holm, German MEP Rebecca Harms and Slovenian MEP Mojca Drcar Murko, calls for a ban on the use of Great Apes (chimpanzees, bonobos, orangutans, gorillas), and on the use of wild-caught primates, as well as a phase-out of all primate use in EU laboratories.
Neil Parish MEP and President of the European Parliament’s animal welfare Intergroup, said: “This declaration has been signed by well over 400 members of the European Parliament of all parties and all countries. It sends a clear message to the Commission that animal experimentation should be phased out.”
Jan Creamer, ADI chief executive said, “This marks a major victory not only for ADI but for all primates in laboratories throughout Europe. Our relentless campaigning has paid off and this week we have achieved the commitment of over half of Europe’s MEPs. This historic decision to protect primate nations from the laboratory animal trade is set to reverberate around the world. We are absolutely delighted."
"This move from the European Parliament is long overdue and will pave the way for modern alternatives to take over from the use of primates in research.”
Click here to see whether your MEPs have signed Written Declaration 40/2007.
Scientific report says it is time to stop primate experiments – click here for more information.
