Unanimous vote in Senate on September 2nd
Mexico’s lawmakers yesterday unanimously approved legislation which will restrict animal testing for cosmetic ingredients, finished products and their components, or mixtures of these components. The restrictions apply to the manufacturing, import and sale of cosmetic products in Mexico when the final formulation has been tested on animals, or when it contains ingredients or combinations of ingredients that have been tested on animals.
Exceptions to the prohibition include:
- When an ingredient must be subjected to safety testing due to risks to human and environmental health but there are no alternative methods that have been validated by the international scientific community.
- When the safety data for an ingredient has been generated through animal testing for a reason other than for cosmetic use, although when the safety of an ingredient is widely known for its historic use, no additional tests will be required.
- When animal testing is required to fulfil a regulatory requirement of another country, for exportation.
The Secretaría de Salud in Mexico is also charged with encouraging and incentivising the development of non-animal testing methods.
The law will come into full force in two years’ time.
Our Director of Public Affairs, Kerry Postlewhite, said: “This is great news. We commend everyone who worked hard to achieve this result, especially the bill’s sponsor Senator Ricardo Monreal, and all congressmen and women for voting for this progressive cruelty free legislation. We look now to the US and Canada to move forward with their cruelty free cosmetics laws.”
If you’re an EU national, please sign and share our European Citizens’ Initiative to Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics.