The European Union is strongly committed to the Replacement, Reduction and Refinement of testing on animals (the 'Three Rs') as reflected in Directive 2010/63/EU on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes.
As mandated by the Directive, the Joint Research Centre (JRC) runs the European Union Reference Laboratory for Alternatives to Animal Testing (EURL ECVAM) which has the following duties: coordination and promotion of the development and use of alternative methods, including in the areas of basic and applied research and regulatory testing; coordination of the validation of alternative approaches at EU level; acting as a focal point for the exchange of information on the development of alternative approaches;
setting up, maintaining and managing public databases and information systems on alternative approaches and their state of development; and promotion of dialogue between legislators, regulators, and all relevant stakeholders, in particular, industry, biomedical scientists, consumer organisations and animal-welfare groups, with a view to the development, validation, regulatory acceptance, international recognition, and application of alternative approaches.
