Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-001196/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Tilly Metz (Verts/ALE)
The announcement from the Mauritian Minister of Agro-Industry regarding a memorandum of understanding with Charles River Laboratories to conduct experiments on long-tailed macaques in Mauritius has raised concerns about the potential increase in public EU funding for animal experiments in countries with lower standards than Directive 2010/63/EU.
Several EU countries have already funded primate experiments in China, Kenya and St Kitts, where there is little to no animal welfare oversight and no transparency regarding the sourcing of these animals. This is particularly alarming as the International Union for Conservation of Nature has classified the long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis) as endangered since 2022, with the biomedical industry being identified as a major threat. Additionally, ongoing US investigations into alleged trafficking by Charles River have uncovered evidence of poaching and fraud.
- 1.What measures are in place to prevent EU funds from supporting animal experiments in non-EU countries that would not be permitted under EU legislation?
- 2.Will the Commission revise Directive 2010/63/EU to prohibit public institutions and publicly funded projects from conducting animal experiments in facilities not complying with EU welfare regulations?
- 3.How will the Commission address the risk of Directive 2010/63/EU being undermined by the EU or Member States funding animal experiments overseas?
Submitted: 20.3.2025