Animal Aid

From the Office of Jean Lambert MEP
London’s Green Party Member of the European Parliament
Immediate release: 27 February

Jean Lambert, the Green Party MEP for London, has today called for an immediate end to the cruel practice of experimenting on primates. Backing Animal Aid’s Primate Day of Action, on Saturday 28 February, she gave her support to a timetabled phase-out to be enshrined in EU law.

Currently, around 10,000 primates are used in experiments across Europe, with more than one third of them used in British laboratories. Jean Lambert MEP has signed a Written Declaration calling for a replacement of all primates in experiments to be enshrined in the new EU law. However, under pressure from the research industry the European Commission has failed to act on the demands from MEPs and has dropped the primate ban from its proposed revision of the Directive on the Protection of Animals Used for Experimental and Other Scientific Purposes.

Jean Lambert MEP said:

“The use of primates in experiments is outdated and cruel. These animals, our closest relatives, suffer as humans would. They experience fear, loneliness and stress, simply from being kept in captivity, not to mention the physical and mental torture they endure as a result of experimentation.
“While some would argue that being similar to humans is a good reason to continue to use primates in experiments, this is also the very reason that their use should be phased out. It is simply inhumane and unjustifiable.
“I will continue to support efforts to push the European Commission to include a ban on the use of primates in the revised version of the EU laws on animal experimentation and I commend Animal Aid for their campaign. The Commission has so far bowed to the pressure of the research industry, but I urge my colleagues to press for positive action.
“The Greens will continue unrelentingly to call for an end to animal experiments of all kinds and for dedicated funding and research for non-animal alternatives.”

To find out more about Primate Day of Action go to http://www.animalaid.org.uk

Notes to Editors

Jean Lambert is one of nine MEPs representing London and one of two UK Green representatives in the European Parliament. In October 2005 Jean was named MEP of the year for her work on Justice and Human Rights. Jean was first elected Green Party Member of the European Parliament for London in the 1999 European elections and was re-elected in 2004.

For more information please contact: Georgina Bloomfield, Media and Public Relations Officer, Tel: 020 7407 6280
Email: media@jeanlambertmep.org.uk
www.jeanlambertmep.org.uk