Executive Vice-President Stéphane Séjourné, in a written answer to a parliamentary question, defended the continued use of animal testing for cleaning product ingredients under REACH and the Biocidal Products Regulation, arguing that such testing is permitted only as a last resort and aligns with EU animal welfare law. The answer, published on 29 April 2026, responds to a question from The Left MEP Sebastian Everding, who had pressed the Commission on why animal testing for cleaning products remains allowed despite Parliament's 2021 resolution calling for a transition to non-animal methods.
Séjourné pointed to the revised Detergents Regulation, which will enter into force on 23 September 2029 and introduces a general ban on marketing detergents tested on animals to meet the regulation's requirements. However, he noted that ingredients of cleaning products fall under REACH or the Biocidal Products Regulation, both of which permit vertebrate testing only as a last resort. The Commission's roadmap for phasing out animal testing in chemical safety assessments is planned for publication in the second quarter of 2026, but Séjourné did not commit to specific legislative steps or timelines, stating only that changes would be introduced in line with the relevant legislation.
Policy orientation and institutional follow-up The answer signals a cautious, incremental approach: the Commission prioritises the principle of last resort over an outright ban, maintaining flexibility for risk assessment. The planned roadmap will outline steps, but legislative changes remain conditional. This leaves stakeholders in limbo: animal welfare groups and the European Parliament's majority will likely push for faster action, while industry and chemical agencies may welcome the continued possibility of animal testing for essential safety data. The European Chemicals Agency is expected to play a key role in prioritising validated non-animal methods, but no concrete enforcement mechanisms were announced.
Impact on stakeholders - Animal welfare NGOs: disappointed by the lack of a clear phase-out date and continued reliance on the last-resort principle. - Chemical industry: benefits from regulatory certainty and retained ability to use animal testing when alternatives are unavailable, avoiding immediate compliance costs. - EU regulators (ECHA, national authorities): must balance the last-resort principle with growing political pressure to accelerate alternative methods. - Consumers: indirectly affected, as the current framework may delay full transition to cruelty-free cleaning products, but ensures continued safety assessments.
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