EU takes a fresh look at primate research policy
The Sixth Framework programme (FP6) for research and development (R&D) could contain provisions restricting EU funded research on live primates, say representatives from the European Commission. Provisions in the Fifth Framework programme allow for the EU to fund research on great apes and chimpanzees, although no such research is currently being funded. This was the explanation given to representatives from the coalition to end experiments on chimpanzees in Europe (CEECE), a coalition of nine European animal welfare groups, in a meeting with delegates from the Research DG in July. The campaign was launched in March 2001, and focuses on the biomedical primate research centre (BPRC) in Rijswijk, The Netherlands, the only institution in the EU which is currently using great apes for scientific experiments. Proposals for FP6 are currently at the stage of inter-institutional discussion, and the European Parliament is 'currently suggesting that the ethical framework for FP6 should be reinforced,' Etienne Magnien, head of unit for policy matters from the life sciences (research for biotechnology, agriculture and food) directorate in the Commission's Research DG told CORDIS News. The Commission proposals currently contain provisions for an ethical framework, which the European Commission wishes to be a 'complete and consistent framework' or a 'code of conduct guiding researchers when seeking Community funds,' said Mr Magnien. Research on chimpanzees is one of a few areas of concern that the framework would address, he added, but the framework is still at the design definition phase. As pointed out by Mr Magnien, the European Commission itself has no legal competence in ethics, and cannot overrule national laws on the issue. 'The Commission can bring together policy makers in Member States and act as a platform for negotiations.' Recognising that the European Commission only forms the executive arm of the EU, whereas the Member States form the legislative arm in the Council of Ministers, CEECE is 'working at both ends', Jonathan Pearce, campaigns director from the World society for the protection of animals (WSPA) told CORDIS News. Indeed in 1992, the European Commission put forward a proposal to reduce the number of animals involved in experiments by 50 per cent by the year 2000, but this proposal was never adopted by the Council. The Netherlands is a particular target for CEECE as it is the only EU Member State still carrying out research on great apes and chimpanzees. The Dutch government is however starting to reassess their policy in this area, as demonstrated by a letter from Dutch Minister of Science, Loek Hermans to the Dutch parliament in April 2001. 'This news is a major step forward in achieving the goals of CEECE,' said Jonathan Pearce. 'If the minister [...] sticks to his word there will be no further experiments on chimpanzees in the European Union after three years. Of course we want to achieve more than this, and our campaign will continue to push for an immediate ban on all chimpanzee based research, an EU legislative ban and the full closure of the BPRC [in Rijswijk, The Netherlands],' he said. A complete ban on all primate research is unlikely to happen, but legislation prohibition research on great apes is possible, said Jonathan Pearce. The coalition is currently organising a meeting with the Commission's Environment DG, with the aim of securing legislation prohibiting experiments on great apes in the sixth Environmental Action Programme. Mr Pearce believes that the Commission are very concerned about research on great apes, and that they are concerned about the standards of internal checks in The Netherlands. He was encouraged to hear from the European Commission that applications to fund experiments have been turned down by the Commission recently. Some of these came from southern European countries and were made three or four years ago, and one, made in the last year, was from a non-EU country. In 1991 the Commission also set up the European centre for the validation of alternative methods (ECVAM), a unit of the Institute for health and consumer protection at the commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Ispra, Italy. ECVAM's principal duty is to coordinate the validation of advanced, non-animal test methods at the Community level and to establish their relevance and reliability for their stated purposes. The centre has an annual budget of around six million euro. The Commission also funds research into alternative methods to animal experimentation. Under the Fourth Framework programme 15 projects focusing in particular on the development of tests based on cell or tissue cultures were supported with EU funds, and new methods are also being studied under the Fifth Framework programme's Quality of life and management of living resources programme.