ASEAN to Consider Cruelty Free International Proposal to Ban Animal Testing for Cosmetics

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, November 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

Cruelty Free International has welcomed the ASEAN Heads of Delegation consideration of its proposal to upgrade the ASEAN Cosmetics Directive to match the current European Union Directive which bans animal testing for cosmetics. The meeting, to take place at the ASEAN Cosmetics Committee meeting from November 25 to 27 in Malaysia, follows the recent success of Cruelty Free International in China and Russia, after both countries opened the door to non-animal testing for cosmetics.

Traditionally, ASEAN has promoted free trade by matching the EU cosmetics regulations very closely, so harmonising with the latest EU revision would be a natural progression. The only country in ASEAN known to do official animal testing, Vietnam, has agreed a programme financed by Cruelty Free International to replace them in 2014 with modern non-animal alternatives. Vietnam is supporting the move towards ending animal testing at the ASEAN talks. India banned animal testing for cosmetics earlier this year.

Cruelty Free International Chief Executive, Michelle Thew, commented, 'e welcome the interest that ASEAN is showing and hope the Heads of Delegation will agree to move towards an end to these antiquated testing methods, enabling industry in both ASEAN and the EU to continue to work on the basis of common legislation.'

Together with The Body Shop, Cruelty Free International gathered one million signatures which, in October, were delivered to ASEAN to further encourage their efforts to ban animal testing for cosmetics in the region.

NOTES:

Cruelty Free International (http://www.crueltyfreeinternational.org) is the only organisation working solely to end consumer product testing on animals. Its scientists, political advisers and national representatives on four continents are in dialogue with governments throughout the world. Its current drive to end animal cosmetics testing is the largest-ever global campaign on this issue, with initiatives in over 65 countries. Dr Nick Palmer from Cruelty Free International has held a series of meetings with officials and scientists throughout Asia over the last two years.

ASEAN is the regional trade and political association of South Asia, comprising Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines, Vietnam, Burma, Cambodia, Laos and Brunei. (http://www.asean.org) ASEAN's policy is to have cosmetics regulation determined by their joint Cosmetics Committee for all the countries in the region.

Contact:

media@crueltyfreeinternational.org, +44(0)7850-510-955 / +44(0)207-700-4888