Rules on animal testing and research
Are you a scientist, doctor, or veterinarian? And do you want to carry out tests on animals, for instance for vaccine testing? You must comply with requirements regarding expertise, animal welfare, and licencing.
Why is animal testing necessary?
Tests on animals are mandatory in some cases. For instance, a new medicine can only be sold after it has been tested on a living animal.
The Experiments on Animals Act (Wet op de Dierproeven, unofficial translation, pdf) describes the purposes for which animal tests may be carried out. Animal testing is only allowed if:
- the benefit and necessity of the tests outweigh the suffering of animals, and
- there are no other options.
Tests may only be carried out on animals specially bred for that purpose. Certain species of non-human primates may not be used in animal tests.
The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (Nederlandse Voedsel- en Warenautoriteit, NVWA) checks whether you keep to the regulations (in Dutch) during animal testing.
Ban on animal testing for cosmetics
Animal testing for cosmetics is banned in the European Union. The ban includes:
- animal testing for cosmetics;
- animal testing for the ingredients of cosmetics;
- trading in cosmetic products which have been tested on animals.
Apply for an animal testing licence
In the Netherlands, you need 2 licences to carry out tests involving animals:
- You must have an establishment licence (in Dutch) from the NVWA. You apply for this licence by sending an email to chd@nvwa.nl.
- You must have a project licence for every project. You apply for this licence to the Central Animal Testing Committee (Centrale Commissie Dierproeven, CCD) with their form (in Dutch).
Commercial establishments that breed laboratory animals and supply them to animal testing organisations need an establishment licence to do so.
Once you submit a research plan, the Animal Tests Committee (Dierexperimentencommissie, DEC, in Dutch) will consider your application. If the committee issues a positive recommendation, the CCD will issue the project licence. View the CCD's guide (in Dutch) to find out what steps you need to take.
Report changes for tests on animals
If your research plan changes you have to report this to the CCD (in Dutch). In some cases you have to apply to change your licence, for example, if you want to use more animals. If, for example, the purpose of your project changes, you have to apply for a new licence.
Animal Welfare Body
Do you have a licenced institution that conducts tests on animals, breeds test animals, or supplies test animals? You must establish an animal welfare body (Instantie voor Dierenwelzijn, IvD, in Dutch). This body monitors the welfare of the animals and provides advise to your staff on matters such as housing and care. Small-scale breeders do not require an IvD.
Before you apply for a project licence from the CCD, your IvD needs to check if your application complies with the 3R principle:
- replacement: you should replace animal testing as much as possible with tests that do not involve animals, such as computer simulations
- reduction: use as few animals as possible in each trial, for example, by using data from other research
- refinement: ensure maximum welfare conditions for the animals and prevent unnecessary distress, such as good housing, nutriotion, and pain relief
Animal care
Only trained personnel may perform animal tests and provide care for the animals. They must treat the animals well and carefully. The animals may not be unduly distressed by the tests. The animals’ facilities must also meet legal requirements. You should for instance supply protective shelter, nesting, and bedding materials and toys.
Annual reporting
You must send an annual report to NVWA regarding the animal tests you have carried out. This report must state:
- the purpose of the test
- the breed and number of laboratory animals used
- the techniques employed
- the extent to which the animals were subjected to stress
Online application procedure via Message Box
You can apply online for an animal testing licence from the Central Animal Testing Committee (CCD) using Message Box. Message Box is a secure email system that enables you as an entrepreneur to exchange digital messages with Dutch government agencies.