Post Punk Kitchen Forum

So I keep getting happy emails and stuff in my twitter and facebook feeds about the EU ban on animal testing of cosmetics and cosmetic ingredients going into effect this month, which, YAY. The emails say that the ban means products can't be sold in the EU if they're tested anywhere in the world.

So my question/confusion is what does this mean for brands that have expanded into China like Estee Lauder and Revlon and their subsidiaries? And what about brands that have always tested, like L'Oreal and their subsidiaries? L'Oreal is a French company. Are they going to become cruelty free?

I'm just very confused. I want to focus on the YAY, but it's being dulled by my confusion.

Does anyone know what's going to happen? Have Leaping Bunny or Peta or vegan/CF bloggers put anything out explaining what this all means?

Or are we all confused? We could be confused together.

i hadn't even heard about it. yay! i think...

Animal Aid says this: http://www.animalaid.org.uk/h/n/NEWS/ne ... ts//2827// but it doesn't really answer your question!

This is the EU page about it, which is pretty dense: http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/sectors/c ... dex_en.htm

My understanding is that previously companies could test their products on animals within the EU, but after March 11 will no longer be able to do this or import cosmetics tested on animals, but could still test the cosmetics on animals in non-EU countries and sell them in other countries. L'Oreal have lodged a protest at the 2013 ban at the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg and it is also being opposed by a number of other cosmetics companies.

EDIT: Multiple corrections to my confused writing in the original post!

This is the BUAV page about it: http://www.buav.org/our-campaigns/no-cr ... and-eu-ban

Thank you Imogen!