Thursday, 02 August 2018 10:34

EU: Infringement proceedings against Germany Featured

The European Commission has opened infringement proceedings against Germany over outstanding questions concerning the implementation of the EU Directive 63/2010/EU.


In 2016, Dr. Christoph Maisack, judge at the local court and lawyer for animal protection law, prepared an expert opinion in which he listed, in which points the implementation of the EU Directive into German law was incorrect. He found 18 errors in total. The most important are:

1. According to the EU Directive, very serious animal experiments (i.e. those involving prolonged severe pain, suffering or anxiety) should only be authorised in exceptional cases. This restriction was not implemented by Germany.

2. A part of the controls of animal experiments has to take place unannounced. This requirement was not implemented at all.

3. Animal experiments in education must be subject to approval according to the EU Directive. Under German law, these experiments only have to be announced, so that it cannot be excluded that universities carry out animal experiments, for which animal-free methods already exist as an alternative.

The press release of the European Commission is here:
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-18-4486_en.htm

Click here for the expert opinion (in German):
https://www.gruene-bundestag.de/fileadmin/media/gruenebundestag_en/topics_az/animal_protection/PDF/Investigation_of_animal_tests.pdf