Presented in October, the chemicals strategy is intended as a first step towards a zero pollution ambition for a toxic-free environment as part of the European Green Deal.

The strategy also emphasises the need to foster multidisciplinary research and digital innovations, methods and models, and data analysis capacities to move away from animal testing.

In 2017, over 230,000 animal tests were carried out in the EU to satisfy requirements under the regulation for evaluating and authorising chemicals (REACH), as EU legislation has not excluded testing on animals as a last resort.

Although the publication of the strategy has been seen in general as a positive development, some lawmakers are worried about the lack of specific references and clear goals for phasing out animal testing and promoting alternative methods.

“There is quite a concern that the proposed chemicals strategy may result in a lot more animal testing and less commitment,” said the chair of European Parliament’s Industry Committee (ITRE), Romanian lawmaker Cristian-Silviu Bușoi.

For Maurice Whelan, head of the EU’s reference laboratory for alternatives to animal testing (EURL-ECVAM) at the Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC), the blueprint represents a great opportunity for the extensive use of alternative methods.

“Alternative approaches will be an absolute necessity to achieve many of the key objectives in this strategy,” he said during the EPAA event.

“There are reasons to be optimistic worldwide,” said Anna Lowit, senior science advisor at the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), mentioning the fact that scientists have never had this many models and approaches.

“There are fantastic opportunities, it’s just a matter of taking them,” she concluded.