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Parliament adopts Written Declaration on primate research
On 6 September 2007 the European Parliament adopted Written Declaration 0040/2007, after it was signed by a majority of MEPs. The declaration called for "a timetable for replacing the use of all primates in scientific experiments with alternatives." Shortly afterwards, it was covered in the trade press under titles such as “Europe moves towards primate ban”.
However, this does not mean that the use of primates will be banned in Europe. Written Declarations are not part of the legislative process and are simply an expression of opinion. Any MEP can put down a Written Declaration on any subject and then ask others to sign it. MEPs are usually willing to sign these declarations simply because they do not have any real effect. If over 50% of the MEPs sign a declaration is ‘adopted’ – ie read into the minutes of the parliament and a copy sent to the European Commission. That is all.
There was a very energetic lobbying campaign by groups opposed to animal experimentation, repeatedly asking MEPs to sign this declaration. Like many other people, MEPs dislike the idea that primates are used in experiments, mainly because they do not understand why it is necessary and because they think it must involve causing a lot of suffering to chimps and other higher primates. The MEPs would consider the Written Declaration simply as a way of promoting a debate about the issue. Many of them will also have signed declarations calling for more research into cancer, AIDS, and other diseases without realising that in some cases primate research would be essential before treatments can reach the stage of being tested on humans.
When the proposed revision of Directive 86/609 is eventually debated by the European Parliament, no doubt some MEPs will call for a ban on using primates to be inserted into the text. Whether or not a majority of the MEPs will vote for this is unclear. Even if they were to do so, the proposal would be strongly resisted by both the European Commission and the European Council (which is composed of representatives all EU national governments). For anything to become EU law under the co-decision procedure, which will apply to this Directive, it has to be accepted by all three bodies: Commission, Council and Parliament.
Although the adoption of this Written Declaration makes it clear that primate research is going to be a major issue of contention with the revised directive, there have been some positive effects as well. The adoption of this declaration has stimulated several organisations representing academic researchers, laboratory animal scientists and industry to start lobbying MEPs to inform them about the importance of animal research, the role of primates and the high standards of welfare applied to all animal research within the EU.