After two years of campaigning by Humane Society International, India have now banned the import of newly animal-tested cosmetics from abroad. This comes in addition to the already-present ban of animal testing for cosmetics in India's own laboratories, also secured by HSI a few months earlier.
The campaign - #BeCrueltyFree - secured a ban which comes in the form of Rule 135-B, stating: "Prohibition of import of cosmetics tested on animals. - No cosmetic that has been tested on animals after the commencement of Drugs and Cosmetics (Fifth Amendment) Rules, 2014 shall be imported into the country.
The #BeCrueltyFree campaign manager Alokparna Sengupta said: “With today’s historic ban on the import of newly animal-tested cosmetics, India has made history for animals in South Asia. This is a huge achievement that could not have been possible without the compassion of our government, consumers and industry. We feel confident that if this vision is applied to other areas of product testing, this can be a defining moment in the modernization of India’s safety science, with potentially hundreds of thousands more animals spared pain and suffering.”
Gauri Maulekhi of People for Animals added: “India has shown outstanding leadership by so swiftly advancing first a ban on cosmetics animal testing and now a ban on animal-tested cosmetics imported from overseas. By working so diligently with the #BeCrueltyFree India campaign, our policy makers have put India on the map as a country transforming its laboratories and regulation from outdated test methods to state-of-the-art science. Animals, consumers, scientists and companies have everything to gain from such modernization.”
It all comes into effect on November 13, 30 days from the date of notification.
Earlier this year, campaigners for #BeCrueltyFree have made positive steps in the United States, Taiwan, Australia, Brazil and New Zealand with the introduction of bills proposing national cosmetic animal test bans. China has also removed mandatory animal testing for many domestically-produced cosmetics following efforts from the group.
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